A BLACK SILK OFFICIAL'S COURT SKIRT, CHAO FU

細節

A BLACK SILK OFFICIAL'S COURT SKIRT, CHAO FU
LATE 19TH CENTURY

The full skirt tailored at the waistband and falling in soft folds, decorated in finely worked gold, silver and copper couched thread with panels of dragons at the hemline above turbulent waves, below a series of seventeen dragon roundels, the waistband similarly decorated with blue floral brocade borders, dark blue linen waistband--42¾in. (108.5cm.) long

拍品專文

The use of seventeen roundels probably indicates that this skirt was made for a high-ranking Manchu nobleman

For two examples of similar skirts with the design worked in multi-colored threads, rather than gold, see John E. Vollmer, Decoding Dragons: Status Garments in Ch'ing Dynasty China, University of Oregon Museum of Art, 1983, p. 52, pl. 15; and Gary Dickinson and Linda Wrigglesworth, Imperial Wardrobe, London, 1990, p. 147, pl. 128