An impressive Chinese imperial yellow dragon robe, (Longpao Jifu), Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Daoguang period (c1820), This excellent and rare Manchu nine-dragon robe, has been embroidered with the finest silk and couched gold-wrapped thread on a rich satin ground of Imperial yellow. The very auspicious design, symbolising the wearer's wish for a long life. There are eight dragons on the outer garment, with an unseen ninth dragon concealed in the inner panel of the robe, representing the Confucian ideal of eight fields protected by a ninth encircling it., the front and back designed with endless scrolling clouds threaded with the five Imperial colours swirling around the coral coloured bats of good fortune and happiness. The five-clawed dragons couched in gold thread, clasping the flaMing pearl of wisdom and shou symbol for longevity, provide the wearer of the robe with eternal power., resting above the four mountains of the immortals, with a deep hem of cresting waves and the lishui stripe, within similarly decorated black silk borders and gold braid and woven gold wan-fret edgings repeated on the horse-shoe cuffs of the black silk sleeves woven in damask with a single roundel of dragons contesting a flaming pearl. In a perspex case measuring 207.5 cm wide, 16.5 cm deep, 173.5 cm high. Provenance: Ex private Collector, Taiwan, whose family had descended from the Manchu's, illustrated in Sotheby's, New York, May 1981, Lot 174, purchased Linda Wrigglesworth, London, Irving Galleries, 1991, 4005/2699 catalogue no. 136, Exhibitions, Art Gallery of New South Wales, celestial silks, Chinese religious court Textiles, 31 August - 24, October, 2004, illus. Catalogue no. 28., Literature, This robe has appeared in several journal articles. Other Notes: This Imperial yellow jifu would have been worn by the Empress for official duties, important sacred ceremonies, or when giving an audience in her chambers. This style of dress, was depicted in the 1759 court regulations revised by the Emperor Qianlong., for women, dragon robes in yellow were reserved exclusively for the empress dowager, the empress and the emperor's first ranking consort, and was considered the most auspicious colour., Literature: G. Dickinson and L. Wrigglesworth, Imperial wardrobe, Berkeley, rev. Ed., 2000, Rutherford, J., and Menzies, J., celestial silks: Chinese religious and court Textiles, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 31 July - 24 October, 2004, Steele, V. And Major, J. S., China Chic - East meets West, Yale University press, London, 1999, Vollmer, J. E., Ruling from the dragon throne: costume of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), ten Speed press, Berkeley, 2002, Cammann, S., China's dragon robes, the Ronald press Company, New York, 1952
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- Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.
- Imperial Yellow - Imperial yellow, also known as "yangqing" in Chinese, is a bright, intense shade of yellow that was historically reserved for the exclusive use of the Chinese imperial family. It was considered the most prestigious and luxurious of all colours, and was used to adorn a wide variety of imperial goods, including porcelain.
Chinese porcelain decorated with imperial yellow was highly prized, and was often used to create exquisite pieces of imperial tableware, such as plates, bowls, and cups. The use of imperial yellow on porcelain was a symbol of the emperor's power and authority and was intended to impress and intimidate visitors to the imperial court.
The process of creating imperial yellow porcelain involved a highly complex and labour-intensive process, which was kept secret by the imperial court. The exact recipe for the yellow glaze used on imperial porcelain is still unknown, although it is thought to have been a combination of lead, tin, and antimony, with the addition of a small amount of iron oxide to achieve the distinctive colour.
- Roundel - A roundel is a circular disk, medallion or border on a plate or dish, on an object of furniture. A plate or dish will often have a central circular bordered decoration, termed a roundel. In furniture the word is often used instead of the word 'patera' to describe a turned circular decoration. In recent times use of the word has expanded to encompass any circular area on an object.
- Imperial Yellow - Imperial yellow, also called "Chinese Yellow" and "Royal Yellow" is an auspicious colour in Chinese culture.
It was the colour of Imperial China and the symbolic colour of of the five legendary emperors of ancient China. The colour was used to decorate royal palaces and used in the clothing of the emperors.
- Qing Dynasty - The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was established by the Manchu people, who originated from the northeastern region of China. The Qing Dynasty was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.
- Damask - Damask is a type of fabric that is characterized by its glossy finish, smooth texture, and intricate designs. The fabric is typically made from a combination of silk and other natural fibers, such as cotton or linen, and is often used to make clothing, upholstery, and other decorative items.
The origins of damask fabric can be traced back to ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire, where it was used to make clothing and other textiles.
The fabric is made by weaving the fabric in such a way that the design is created by the different reflectivity of the warp and weft threads, rather than by the use of dyed threads. The designs are often floral or geometric patterns and can be very intricate. The effect is a reversible fabric, with a glossy pattern on one side and a matte pattern on the other.
- Manner of .... / Style of ..... - A cataloguing term where the item, in the opinion of the cataloguer is a work in the style of the artist, craftsman or designer, possibly of a later period.
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Oriental textiles & costume, Chinese