Chinese Textiles: Treasured Fabrics (Meibutsu gire)
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Textile with Paired Lions and Clouds, Named "Ranken Damask" (detail), Ming dynasty, 15th-16th century
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 5
April 5, 2022 (Tue) - June 26, 2022 (Sun)The word meibutsu gire refers to pieces of fabric to which masters of the tea ceremony attributed great value. A piece previously owned by a famous person or temple, for example, had even greater value, with some pieces given names related to their former owners. These pieces of fabric included brocade, gold brocade, figured satin-weave silk, and striped textiles called kandō. Masters of the tea ceremony used them in a variety of ways, such as for making pouches for tea caddies, or fabric frames for calligraphy or paintings to be hung on the walls of tea rooms.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Textile with Double Vines and Peonies | China | Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century | TI-190-24 | |||
| Highlight | Textile with a "Myriad Treasures" Pattern | China | Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century | TI-190-7 | |||
| Highlight | Textile with Round Crests inside Checks | China | Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century | TI-453-26 | |||
| Highlight | Textile with Paired Lions and Clouds, Named "Ranken Damask" | China | Ming dynasty, 15th-16th century | TI-35 |