Midnight-blue Qing Dynasty dragon robe

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Chinese Chaofu Qing Dynasty formal dragon robe, the midnight-blue summer weave silk worked in couched gold threads with a five-clawed front-facing dragon on the chest, back and shoulders, each encircling a flaMing pearl among clouds, bats, ribboned precious objects and scattered peonies and lotus, in multi-coloured counted stitch, all above rock and waves, and a waist band with two confronted dragons at the front and back, the pleated skirt with twelve dragon roundels and a broad frieze of two pairs of confronted dragons chasing flaming pearls among clouds, bats and precious objects above foaming waves, the interior flap with an additional dragon and flaming pearl and another dragon roundel, height 133 cm x width 198 cm. Provenance: Judith Rutherford antique Chinese textiles, Sydney 23 August 2013, then private collection Sydney notes: The chaofu or attire of state is the most important of the ceremonial costumes of the Qing court. The two part construction consisted of a short side-fastening jacket attached to a pleated skirt derived from Ming styles of court dress, and adapted by the Manchu to include features of their equestrian heritage, such as the overlapping right front, narrow sleeves and horse-hoof cuffs, to protect hands in bad weather. Compare with a robe exhibited, draped in dragons, Chinese court costume, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 3 December 2003-2 May 2004, pp.7-8, Fig.3 a similar robe sold Christie's, south Kensington, 13 May 2011, lot 1012

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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.
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.
Frieze - An architectural term denoting the flat, shaped or convex horizontal surface of furniture, between the architrave and the cornice, usually found on a cabinet or bookcase, or on desks and tables where it may include drawers, the area between the top and the legs. In ceramics, the term refers to the banding, of usually a repeating pattern, on the rims of plates and vases.
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.

This item has been included into following indexes:

Chinese antiquities by dynasty - Ming Dynasty 1,256
Oriental textiles & costume, Chinese

Midnight-blue Qing Dynasty dragon robe

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