119 cm (vertical) × 206 cm (horizontal)
This robe features a narrow-sleeved, front-opening design, lined with red fabrics and edged with thin silk along the inner seams. It is composed of nearly a thousand triangular fabric pieces, primarily sourced from Indian dyed cloths and European felt. A closer examination of the patterns and dyeing techniques reveals striking similarities between some of the fabric pieces and fragments of Hikone Sarasa, textiles once owned by the Ii family of Japan, now housed in the Tokyo National Museum. It is estimated that the oldest fabrics date back to the 18th century, while most others were produced in the 19th century.
Although the precise date of this coat’s making remains uncertain, the range of precious fabrics used spans a significant period. “Patchwork Garment with Sarasa Fabrics,” a comparable garment collected from Sumatra, is now preserved in the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore. Surviving examples of such patchwork garments are exceedingly rare. This particular piece from Java is commonly believed to possess protective qualities, traditionally worn by Indonesian royalties or religious leaders.