QIANLONG-JIAQING PERIOD (1736-1820)

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THREE MIDNIGHT-BLUE-GROUND EMBROIDERED 'DRAGON' ROUNDELS FOR AN IMPERIAL SURCOAT
QIANLONG-JIAQING PERIOD (1736-1820)
Each roundel is decorated with a gilt couched front-facing five-clawed dragon chasing the flaming pearl amongst ruyi-shaped clouds and bats in flight, all above auspicious symbols in foaming waves.

Lot Essay

The dragons on the surcoats of Qing nobles and officials, were strictly regulated: the Emperor's surcoat, gunfu, had four front-facing dragons, two with Imperial symbols; the Emperor's sons also wore four-front facing dragons, with no symbols; and lesser princes wore a mixture of front and side-facing dragons.

A very similar dragon roundel bearing an Imperial Sun symbol is illustrated in Gary Dickinson & Linda Wrigglesworth, Imperial Wardrobe, p. 123, pl. 103.

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