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Surcoat (Jinbaori)

Unidentified artist

late 18th–early 19th century

Not on view

This surcoat (jinbaori) was made to be worn over armor. A poetic inscription rendered in a mixture of highly cursive Chinese characters and characters that are read phonetically (sōgana) is written with brush and ink over the stenciled design of cherry blossoms on blue and white silk. The waka poem on the jacket alludes to the image of scattering blossoms as a metaphor for the evanescent life of warriors. Reading the front and back of the garment as a continuous text, the verse reads:

Saki-idete
hana wa chiru tomo
kaguwashiki
nioi wa yoyo ni
nokosazarame ya

After bursting into bloom,
flowers soon scatter,
but their sweet-scented
fragrance will linger
generation after generation.

—Trans. John T. Carpenter

Surcoat (Jinbaori), Unidentified artist, Ink inscription on stencil resist-dyed plain weave silk with gold leaf (surihaku), woven gilt silver (kinran) thread, Japan — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Surcoat (Jinbaori), Unidentified artist, Ink inscription on stencil resist-dyed plain weave silk with gold leaf (surihaku), woven gilt silver (kinran) thread, Japan

Surcoat (Jinbaori), Unidentified artist, Ink inscription on stencil resist-dyed plain weave silk with gold leaf (surihaku), woven gilt silver (kinran) thread, Japan

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

和歌桜花散陣羽織

Title: Surcoat (Jinbaori)

Artist: Unidentified artist

Period: Edo period (1615–1868)

Date: late 18th–early 19th century

Culture: Japan

Medium: Ink inscription on stencil resist-dyed plain weave silk with gold leaf (surihaku), woven gilt silver (kinran) thread

Dimensions: 43 5/16 × 39 13/16 in. (110 × 101.2 cm)

Classification: Costumes

Credit Line: Lent by John C. Weber Collection

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Asian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world.