Sutra Cover with Clouds and Dragons
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Plain weave silk with supplementary weft patterning
Dimensions
Overall: 5 x 14 1/4 in. (12.7 x 36.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1946
Accession Number
46.186.82
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Sutra Cover with Clouds and Dragons*, crafted in 16th-century Ming dynasty China, served as a protective wrapper for sacred Buddhist sutras—scrolls containing revered scriptures. During the Ming period (1368–1644), such textiles reflected the era's opulent craftsmanship and deep spiritual devotion, blending imperial symbolism with religious piety. Dragons, swirling amid ethereal clouds, evoked imperial power and cosmic harmony, while floral motifs added layers of natural beauty and auspiciousness, common in Chinese art to invoke prosperity and enlightenment. Woven from plain w...