Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Nine-Panel Kesa (Buddhist Monk’s Vestment) with Chrysanthemums and Stylized Flowers
Not on view
Japan’s long tradition of reusing and preserving fragments of textiles has roots in Buddhism and reflects the historical Buddha’s renunciation of wealth and waste. Kesa, the outer garments or vestments worn by Buddhist monks, were originally pieced together from fabric scraps salvaged from worn-out clothing, often donated by members of the community. Later, wealthy people would donate the kosode—the precursor to the kimono—of deceased women as well as Noh costumes to Buddhist temples in exchange for ceremonies and prayers. These luxurious secular garments were transformed into banners, altar cloths, and kesa.
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