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Chinese, China

Jiangyi (robe of descent), 1800s

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Chinese

Title

Jiangyi (robe of descent)

Year

1800s

Medium

Silk, gilt paper, metallic-wrapped yarn; compound weave, embroidered

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • silk,
  • gilt paper

Techniques

  • embroidery,
  • embroidering,
  • embroidered,
  • satin damask,
  • couching

Dimensions

Center back length: 137.8 cm (54 1/4 inches)

Place

China

Type

  • Fashion,
  • Costume

Credit

Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich

Object Number

35.416

Projects & Publications

Publications

A World of Costume and Textiles

A Handbook of the Collection

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

From the Land of the Immortals

January 13 - April 22, 2012

This robe of descent is distinguished by the elaborate lattice pattern formed by gold-wrapped yarn embroidered on the blue-figured silk ground fabric. Out of this
golden network spring colorful embroidered renditions of the palaces of the Three Purities, sun and moon, fivestoried tower, constellations, symbols of the five sacred
mountains, cranes, and phoenixes. On the front center flaps are embroidered a dragon (wearer left) and a tiger (wearer right). These two animals are associated with
the eastern and the western directions, respectively, and probably refer to two large circumpolar constellations, known as the Green Dragon and the White Tiger, which marked the rising and setting of the sun. The bottom band shows images of the turtle and the snake (which together mark the north) alongside other dragons and horses that float above the green waves. The symbol for the southern direction (a red bird) is not visible here, but may have been marked by the priest’s headdress.

The Seductive Stitch

December 15, 1995 - March 10, 1996

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Jiangyi (robe of descent) with the accession number of 35.416. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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