A GREENISH-GOLD GROUND SILK-EMBROIDERED DRAGON ROBE

Details

A GREENISH-GOLD GROUND SILK-EMBROIDERED DRAGON ROBE
LATE 19TH CENTURY

Worked in satin stitch and couched gold threads with eight writhing dragons within cloud roundels surrounded by cloud whorls, bats and various babao, all above the terrestrial diagram bordered by lishui stripe and in shades of blue, purple, white, coral, yellow and orange against an elegant greenish-yellow ground, with dark blue-ground borders at the neck and hoof-form sleeves--60 in. (180cm.) long

Lot Essay

Refer to John E. Vollmer, "Costume as Symbol in Traditional China", Arts of Asia, Sept./Oct. 1978, p. 43, where the author illustrates an 18th century dragon robe of similar color and states, "The greenish-yellow color of this satin chi fu suggests it was for a eunuch in the imperial household"