Kesa

Textiles

Edo period (1615–1868), Late 18th century

Japan

During the Edo period, artists took liberties with some of the long-established traditions related to kesa. For example, the patchwork process was sometimes ignored in favor of a single uncut fabric with seams implied by inwoven lines or added cording. The preferred technique for these uncut pictorial panels was tapestry weave. In this example, which is particularly Chinese in style and subject, no such lines have been added, suggesting it was used as a hanging for meditation purposes in the monastery.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Textiles

Title: Kesa
Place: Japan (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: Made 1775–1800
Medium: Silk, gilt-paper-strip-wrapped silk, and peacock-feather-wrapped silk; tapestry weave
Dimensions: 117.4 × 206.5 cm (46 1/4 × 81 1/4 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Gaylord Donnelley in memory of Frances Gaylord Smith
Reference Number: 1991.768
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/150712/manifest.json

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