Kesa
1875–1900
- Medium
- Silk; plain weave, embroidered and appliqued with silk and gilt-paper-strip-wrapped silk; silk cord and tassels
- Dimensions
- 117.5 × 221 cm (46 1/4 × 87 in.)
- Genre
- textile
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
liturgical - buddhistsilk (fiber)meijicostumeTextilepaper (fiber product)weaving
About
Scattered across the off-white expanse of silk in this kesa are multiple versions of colorful embroidered peacocks, peonies, and scepters, which once served as a symbol of authority in connection with Chinese Buddhism. Much of the embroidery and appliqued gold crosses seams, indicating that the panel was completely assembled before the embroidery work began.