Piece
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
6 1/4 x 6 3/4 in. (15.88 x 17.15 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1896
Accession Number
96.14.283
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silk textile fragment, dating to the 18th–19th century during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), offers a glimpse into the refined artistry of the Tokugawa era. Created by an unknown artist, this small woven piece (6 1/4 x 6 3/4 in.) exemplifies the period's prosperity and cultural sophistication, when peace fostered advancements in crafts like textiles. Edo Japan was renowned for its vibrant merchant class, who commissioned luxurious fabrics for kimonos, obi sashes, and furnishings, blending functionality with aesthetic splendor. Woven from fine silk—a prized material symbolizing...