Framed Silk Embroidered Kesa

Traditionally worn by Japanese Buddhist priests and monks as robes, Kesa are the most important Buddhist garments and frequently handed down from priest to priest as symbols of religious power and lineage. A patchwork of cloth donated by disciples, Kesa were made of fabrics available at the time. By the 19th century, wealthy patrons provided a splendor of fabrics. This fine 19th c. example blends traditional and wonderful asymmetrical patching with the extreme refinement of the Japanese silk-weaver's craft.