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Unknown Maker, Chinese

Man's Court Robe

Maker

Unknown Maker, Chinese

Culture

Chinese, Manchu

Title

Man's Court Robe

Period

Qing Dynasty

Year

1736-1795

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

silk, fur

Dimensions

146 cm (57 1/2 inches) Center back length:

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich

Object Number

35.390

Type

Publications

Exhibition History

Woven with Silk
Rockefeller Asian Textiles
Jun 10, 2014 – Mar 08, 2015

Label copy

Only artisans working for the Chinese imperial household would have possessed the time and skill required to create this intricately woven silk robe. Strict rules of dress for the 18th-century court reserved a particular hue of yellow-its dazzling brightness meant to evoke sunlight-solely for the emperor and his consort, and the design seen here features the imperial five-clawed dragon and other symbols restricted to the emperor’s use. The sun, moon, mountain, and constellation represent the four annual sacrifices made by the emperor, and the fu character and axe stand for his power to judge and punish.

A Tribute to Miss Lucy II
Asian Textiles from the Museum’s Collection
Jun 14, 2002 – Oct 13, 2002

Label copy

Rules of dress at the Chinese court reserved yellow for the use of the Emperor and his consort. Stylistic elements such as the width of the bottom border help date this robe to the 18th century, while the design features not only the imperial five-clawed dragon, but other symbols of imperial power that in the 18th century were restricted to the Emperor alone.

Tapestry weaving requires great skill and patience, especially in working fine silk threads into such a complex design. The technical excellence and sheer beauty of this robe made it worthy of an Emperor, and a masterpiece of this collection.

Drawn from the Collection
Part of the Fabric
Oct 07, 1998 – Jan 17, 1999
Ch'ing Dynasty Men's Wear
Court and Religious Attire After the Manchu Conquest
May 08, 1987 – Aug 15, 1987

Label copy

This coat carries the twelve imperial symbols, designating it as a garment for use by the emperor only.

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
Man's Court Robe, 1736-1795
Silk and gold-wrapped thread slit-tapestry weave (kesi) with fur trim
146 cm (57 1/2 inches) Center back length:
Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich 35.390

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