Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Man’s Under Kimono (Nagajuban) with Spider and Spiderweb
Not on view
Worn under an outer garment or at home, the nagajuban frequently bore eye-catching designs that would be seen only by family and friends. The large spider perched on the right shoulder of the crepe silk robe, whose back is covered with a web against gray clouds, exemplifies such a decoration. The pattern could be a reference to Tsuchigumo, a monstrous, shape-shifting spider featured in Japanese myths and legends as well as in Noh and Kabuki plays. The dramatic, supernatural subject was also featured in ukiyo-e prints, which might have inspired this nagajuban’s composition.
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