Priest's Robe and Stole
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silk, metallic thread
Dimensions
Overall (a): 68 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. (174 x 31.8 cm) Overall (b): 44 x 90 1/4 in. (111.8 x 229.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Costumes
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Gifts, Bequests, and Funds from various donors, by exchange, 1956
Accession Number
56.38.1a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Priest's Robe and Stole, crafted in 18th-century Japan during the Edo period (1615–1868), exemplifies the refined artistry of Japanese textile traditions. The Edo era, marked by over two centuries of peace under the Tokugawa shogunate, fostered a flourishing of craftsmanship, including luxurious religious garments that blended functionality with spiritual symbolism. Worn by priests in Buddhist or Shinto rituals, these pieces would have adorned ceremonies, embodying reverence and hierarchy within Japan's vibrant religious culture. Made from sumptuous silk embroidered with metall...