A JAPANESE BUDDHIST PRIEST ARMORIAL MON WOVEN SILK BROCADE KESA ROBE, TACHIBANA FAMILY MON, 18TH/19TH CENTURY, of rectangular form and a conforming border with a single row of red ink mandarin orange on white cherry bloom woven mons and interspersed with green leafy blossoming cherry tree branches, enclosing vertical panels and square patches continuing the same red ink on woven brocade details, mounted and professionally set within a giltwood frame. Height: 44" Width: 85" Note: The Japanese Buddhist monk's principal type of garment is a kesa and was traditionally given at his ordination amidst ritual ceremonies and prayers. These garments were often passed down from master to disciple and cherished by the new monks for representing their Buddhist service to mankind while rejecting the worldly life and all its riches. The style of the kesa goes back to 6th century BC Northern India, when the Prince Siddhartha abandoned his luxurious royal life and sought a spiritual life of service to fellow men. This led to much suffering but eventually to enlightenment and the beginning of Buddhism. During this time it was said he wore a garment of discarded small pieces of cloth which he arranged in vertical rows which came to symbolize the monk's life. This style of garment spread with Buddhism throughout, Tibet, China, Korea and Japan with little change other than the discarded cloth was exchanged for the wealthy elite's discarded silk robes. Provenance: Property from a Fortune 500 Energy Company, Houston, Texas. Condition: Good condition for Japanese textiles of this age, use and materials including but not limited to faded from aging and light exposure, some expected small spots, stains, small thinned area holes, tears, normal splits and loose threads scattered throughout. Simpson Galleries strongly encourages in-person inspection of items by the bidder. Statements by Simpson Galleries regarding the condition of objects are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as statements of fact and do not constitute a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Simpson Galleries. All lots offered are sold "AS IS.”