Unknown Maker, Chinese

Consider these stylized scenes of Chinese life, with couples romancing in pleasure gardens and farmers going about their daily chores. Embroiderers in Guangzhou (then known to the British as Canton) were famous for their depictions of the human figure. Referred to by Indians as cheena-cheeni, this was one of the most sought-after Chinese embroidery styles, coveted both for its exotic charm and its technical quality, which was unmatched by Indian artisans. 

These three pieces demonstrate the international appeal of the Chinese manner of rendering the butterfly. Some of the earliest artifacts of Chinese design to reach the West - sumptuous woven and embellished silks and blue-and-white porcelain - conveyed both the rich aesthetic and codified courtly meaning of design from China. Western designers abstracted and reinterpreted these designs in a style that became known as chinoiserie - a process illustrated by the French-produced furnishing textile from the early 19th century, a rather whimsical pastiche in comparison to the magenta Chinese embroidered coat, which was produced for local consumption and filled with specific cultural significance. The third example in this case, a Parsi blouse, which likely would have been worn in an Indian marriage ceremony, shows how meaning can travel successfully from one culture to another. The sumptuous embroidery, the work of Chinese craftsmen, adorning a vibrant magenta silk ground, recalls the auspicious and celebratory nature of the Chinese coat, also suited to a nuptial celebration.