AN EMBROIDERED RED SILK WOMAN'S INFORMAL ROBE

LATE QING DYNASTY

Details

AN EMBROIDERED RED SILK WOMAN'S INFORMAL ROBE
LATE QING DYNASTY
The robe is finely worked in satin stitch and Peking knot with medallions of cranes encircled by butterflies and blossoming flowers in shades of white, blue, red, pink, purple and green, above a wide lishui stripe tossed with auspicious emblems. The sleeves are decorated with similar motifs.
55 x 76 ½ in. (139.7 x 194.3 cm.)

Lot Essay

A very similar embroidered robe is illustrated by J. E. Vollmer, Decoding Dragons: Status Garments in Ch'ing Dynasty China, University of Oregon Museum of Art, 1983, p. 95, pl. 50. The author notes that red-ground non-official formal coats for Manchu women became increasingly popular in the 19th century. Many such robes were decorated with symbols such as the crane, which probably served as celebratory costume for older Manchu women.

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