medium blue; embroidered overall with primarily salmon-colored flowers and moths/butterflies; black trim embroidered in white and shades of blue with flowers and butterflies; blue lining; inside of cuffs are salmon-colored silk embroidered with similar flowers and insects and trimmed with ribbon

Woman's unofficial informal robe, late 19th-early 20th century

Unknown artist, expand_more
Not on Viewexpand_more

The unofficial wardrobes of Chinese noble women were less standardized but almost as sumptuous as court attire. The cut, symbolic content and decorative motifs vary considerably from court wear, while aesthetic considerations and individual taste are given far greater rein.

This Han Chinese woman’s unofficial informal robe is decorated with a symmetrically arranged scheme of multicolored flowering rose, peony, magnolia, daisy, plum blossom, “Buddha's hand” or finger citron fruit, and butterflies against a blue ground of satin. As flowers in Chinese culture are imbued with abundant symbolic associations, the auspicious overtones of this garment are as rich as the ornamentation itself.

Details
Title
Woman's unofficial informal robe
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2017.6
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.

medium blue; embroidered overall with primarily salmon-colored flowers and moths/butterflies; black trim embroidered in white and shades of blue with flowers and butterflies; blue lining; inside of cuffs are salmon-colored silk embroidered with similar flowers and insects and trimmed with ribbon