Sutra Cover
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Silk
Dimensions
Overall: 5 x 14 1/4 in. (12.7 x 36.2cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
China
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1946
Accession Number
46.186.39
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Sutra Cover* from16th-century China, crafted from finely woven silk, served as a protective wrapper for sacred Buddhist sutras—scriptural texts central to spiritual practice. Measuring just 5 x 14¼ inches, its compact size made it ideal for portable scrolls carried by monks or stored in temple libraries during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1946, it now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art Asian Art collection, exemplifying the era's mastery of textile arts. The cover's design bursts with vibrant motifs of dragons and flowers, woven with rem...