Kesa (Buddhist Priest's Mantle)
1840-1890 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This is a kesa, the rectangular garment worn by Japanese Buddhist priests. Kesa are made of a sewn patchwork of cloth, the arrangement of the sections of fabric into columns surrounded by a border serving as a mandala, a symbolic rendering of the universe. The central column represents the Buddha, the two columns either side his attendants, and the four patches at the corners the cardinal directions. The act of sewing the garment is in itself a devotional pursuit.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Polychrome figured silk |
Brief description | Tex, Japan, woven. Kesa (Buddhist priest's mantle) |
Physical description | Buddhist robe (kesa) patterned with scrolling floral stems on a green ground |
Dimensions |
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Object history | Purchased from Christie's (8 King Street, St. James' Square), accessioned in 1897. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
Summary | This is a kesa, the rectangular garment worn by Japanese Buddhist priests. Kesa are made of a sewn patchwork of cloth, the arrangement of the sections of fabric into columns surrounded by a border serving as a mandala, a symbolic rendering of the universe. The central column represents the Buddha, the two columns either side his attendants, and the four patches at the corners the cardinal directions. The act of sewing the garment is in itself a devotional pursuit. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 928-1897 |
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Record created | February 28, 2006 |
Record URL |
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