19th Century Buddhist Japanese Kesa Patchwork Robe Possibly Chinese Gold Brocade Silk

 
Impressive gold metallic brocade Japanese Kesa for buddhist monk. Made in patchwork style with silk backing, remnants of the ties at the back. Possibly Chinese silk with dark indigo ground.

An uneven rectangular form measuring approx. 46″ by 84″. In very good antique condition with breaks to the backing silk.

“The monk’s full kesa (Sanskrit, kasaya), worn for meditation and ceremonies, is modeled on the robe worn by the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. It is a simple one-piece garment modestly covering most of the body and is draped over the left shoulder, resembling a Roman toga. The robe originally was composed of scraps of fabric cut out from easily available, unwanted sources such as discarded rags and shrouds. The pieces were carefully then sewn together in a patchwork fashion.”