The Kura - Japanese Art Treasures

Robert Mangold has been working with Japanese antiques since 1995 with an emphasis on ceramics, Paintings, Armour and Buddhist furniture.

Antique Japanese Buddhist Textile, Priest OHI and KESA


browse these categories for related items...
Directory: Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Pre 1940: Item # 473377

Please refer to our stock # MOR1662 when inquiring.
The Kura
View Seller Profile
23 Murasakino Monzen-cho
Kita-ward Kyoto 603-8216
tel.81-75-201-3497
Guest Book
 Sold, Thank you 
Sold, Thank you

Peach bands of silk arranged in vertical columns stagger across six feet of Kesa interspersed with colorful patches featuring flowers and geometrics. The Kesa is backed with sumptuous orange silk. It is accompanied by a smaller piece of the same design called Ohi, a sash worn along with the Kesa. The Kesa is 78 x 45-1/2 inches (198 x 115.5 cm), the smaller Ohi 12 x 57 inches (30 x 142 cm). A fabulous wall hanging, they likely date from the early 20th century and are overall in very good condition. The unusual pattern of Kesa (Kasaya in Sanskrit) is based on the garment worn by the Buddha, purportedly made by him from scraps of funerary cloths picked up along the banks of the sacred Ganges. It is said the Buddhas Kesa was 10 feet long. The design of kesa is a symbol of the Mandala, the four corners protected by patches representing the four Guardians of the Cardinal points of the universe. At the top of the third and fifth columns are patches representing the Buddhas of benevolence and wisdom. The oldest examples of Kesa in Japan date from the 8th century.