Previous image 1 2 3 4 5 / 5 Next image

Unknown Maker, Chinese

Jhabla (Tunic)
Now On View

Maker

Unknown Maker, Chinese

Culture

Chinese, Indian, Parsee

Title

Jhabla (Tunic)

Year

ca. 1800 - 1900

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

silk

Geography

Place Made: China

Dimensions

67.6 cm (26 5/8 inches) (length)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Bequest of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich

Object Number

55.279

Type

Exhibition History

The Flower, The Labor, and The Sea
Sep 27, 2025 – Jun 28, 2026

Label copy

This jhabla presents a seemingly random mix of “oriental” elements, none of which are motifs you would find on traditional Chinese garments. It demonstrates how the embroidery workshops of Guangzhou (Canton) often adapted to foreign tastes and expectations of what Chinese embroidery should look like. It is likely that a client, whether Indian, American, or European, selected these motifs from a book of patterns that were developed especially for the export market. Many of the same motifs are found on both European dresses and Parsi garments produced in China during this period. 

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Chinese
Jhabla (Tunic), ca. 1800 - 1900
Silk plain weave with silk satin-stitch embroidery
67.6 cm (26 5/8 inches) (length)
Bequest of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich 55.279

To request new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.