Art Institute of Chicago

Priest's Hat

Japan

Date

Late 19th century, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Medium

Silk and gilt-paper strip; plain weave with secondary binding warps and supplementary patterning wefts

Culture

Japan

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Priest's hats in a form similar to this resplendent example from the late 19th century are still worn today. The pattern of the fabric consists of two slightly different peony blossoms framed within scrolling vines and leaves. The use of deluxe kinran fabric, consisting of gilt-paper strips and silk, and the incorporation of a lining of purple, a color used only by high-ranking Buddhist officials, suggest that this hat belonged to a priest of high rank.

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