Object History
This vibrant silk women’s dragon robe of (satin) weave was purchased by Dr. Reem El Mutwalli from a dealer in London in 2015 to add to the collection of the Zay Initiative.
Object Features
This is a scarlet red women’s silk dragon robe (jifu_longpao) in (satin) weave embellished with (satin_stitch), (Peiking_knot), and (couching) style embroideries executed by hand. It is a loose robe with straight loose sleeves and a (lishui) hem on the fall with a closed round neckline and a (frog_fastener) style button with a round metal – gold/brass – ball button.
The field of the robe is woven in scarlet red satin and is embellished with three golden dragon figures. Each dragon displays five claws on their paws and is executed through couching style embroidery with metal – gold/copper – threads that were beaten and flattened into thin foils for malleability. Apart from the metal threads, there is extensive use of dark and (turquoise) blue, green in light and jade shades as well as red and black silk floss threads.
Parts of the dragon’s face are constructed with Peiking_knot embroidery. There are two dragons displayed on the two shoulders and three more at the back mirroring the front. The four dragons – two on the shoulders and two beneath the neckline – signify four cardinal directions.
It is worth noting that the five claws on each paw of the dragon are a nod towards the royal family. Strict sumptuary laws from the ancient times up until the Qing period (1644-1912) limited the use of the colour yellow on robes and garments to the emperor and the primary members of the royal family like the empress dowager, the crown prince, and may be the primary imperial consort. A blush red or an apricot orange colour robe like this was mostly reserved for the consorts of the crown prince. However, these sumptuary regulations were not always strictly adhered to by the end of the Qing rule in the early 20th century.
The dragons are depicted swirling and soaring in their celestial abode with auspicious rolling clouds – depicted in shades of blue and grey – flaming pearls and flames – also depicted with couching embroidery in metal threads. This kind of five-clawed golden dragon robe was reserved for the empress or lower-ranking imperial consorts.
Beneath the dragon figures the hem of the robe is embellished with lishui stripes signifying calm or standing waters and emerging from it the rock-like shapes or mountain peaks symbolises the isle of the immortals. But interestingly, unlike other lishui hems which usually were constructed of colourful silk floss threads the hem of this robe has been executed with couching embroidery in metal threads.
It is also worth noting that while most similar hems usually had nothing more on it apart from the ones on the imperial robes meant for the emperor, dowager empress and the empress or the emperor’s primary consort, this robe depicts two mythical sea creatures shaped almost like horses facing one another embroidered in green silk floss threads in the middle of the waves.
The neckline of the robe is also embellished with metal thread couching embroidery depicting floral motifs. The sleeves are loose and have thick blue satin bands with thin panels depicting a series of symbolic motifs like butterflies and bats for happiness, pan chang or the “endless knot” signifying a long and continuous life, lotuses for purity, and cranes. It is executed with satin_stitch embroidery in a variety of colourful silk floss threads.
Links
- https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1106&context=tsaconf
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrXWXKoq2GY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef28p8MtMaU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfu_mWNnUY
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPvzuVOYEsE
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdBeGFHxmAc
- https://www.needlework-tips-and-techniques.com/cutwork-embroidery.html
- https://www.christies.com/features/Chinese-robes-collecting-guide-7813-1.aspx
- https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6130068
- https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/art-asia/blue-ground-kesi-surcoat-longgua-655/156157
- https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/resources/26228#
- https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/Sheet7_AsianEduRes_A4_sheets
- https://artsandculture.google.com/story/reading-a-dragon-robe/EwIywfDtcg-mKg
- https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/68920
- https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/blog/kesi-chinese-tapestry/
- https://www.wei-yee.com/craftsmanship/kesi-chinese-silk-tapestry-weaving
- https://www.britannica.com/art/kesi
- https://encyclocraftsapr.com/kesi/
- https://australian.museum/learn/cultures/international-collection/chinese/mandarin-square
- https://www.penn.museum/collections/highlights/highlight.php?irn=4025
- https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/246110
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