Sutra Cover
Ming dynasty (1368–1644), c. 1590's
Medium
Silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper strip, plain weave with supplementary patterning wefts
Dimensions
12 × 35.1 cm (4 3/4 × 13 7/8 in.); Weft repeat: H.: 10.1 cm (4 1/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
157615
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Sutra Cover* from Ming dynasty (13681644), dating to around the 1590s, served a sacred purpose: protecting precious Buddhist sutras, or scriptures, during storage or transport. Crafted anonymously by skilled textile artisans, it reflects the era's reverence for Buddhism and the imperial court's patronage of fine arts. Measuring a compact 12 × 35.1 cm, its small size made it ideal for wrapping rolled texts, blending functionality with spiritual symbolism. The cover's medium—silk plain weave enhanced by supplementary patterning wefts and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper strips—sho...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...