Buddhist Priest's Robe (Kesa) with Stylized Floral and Lozenge Decor
19th century
Description
A Buddhist priest's robe known in Japan as a kesa (Sanskrit, kasaya), this rectangular garment is made up of mulitple pieces of the same cloth that together form a unified assemblage of columns and rectangles framed within a border. The basic fabric is a green silk decorated with an all-over design of multicolored lozenges (rhombuses) punctuated with large flowers, probably chrysanthemums, applied or embroidered onto the surface in gold.
Dimensions
H. 108.6 x W. 224.2 cm (42 3/4 x 88 1/4 in.)
Provenance
Nishi Hongwangi, 1910. [Roland Koscherak, NY, by 1939], sold; to Louis V. Ledoux Collection, New York (1939- 1948), by descent; to his son L. Pierre Ledoux, New York (1948-2001), by inheritance; to his widow Joan F. Ledoux, New York, (2001-2013), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2013. Footnotes: 1. Louis V. Ledoux (1880-1948) 2. L. Pierre Ledoux (1912-2001) 3. On long term loan to Harvard Art Museums from 1985 to 2013.
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