Robe
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Cut silk velvet on a satin weave ground
- Credit Line:
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Image in copyright
This long velvet gown is in nearly perfect condition. It is a man's robe, of a type that, in the first decades of the 20th century - and, in fact, right up to the end of the 1940s - was frequently worn with Western-style trousers, leather lace-up shoes and a velour trilby hat. This example has an all-over pattern of small crane roundels, which appear dark against a paler ground because they are formed by the dense, cut pile of the velvet.
Physical description
Man's purple silk velvet robe of traditional cut with a side-fastening flap, high collar, straight sleeves and loop and knot fastenings. The all-over pattern consists of small crane roundels in cut pile against an uncut ground. The lining is of blue silk with a small geometric self-pattern. The lining does not appear to be traditionally tailored, there being a deep facing of velvet around some of the edges under which the silk lining is caught. Also untraditional are the addition of a 'breast pocket' of matching blue velvet sewn onto the inside section of the robe, and a black loop 'hanger' sewn across the back of the neck.
There is a small paper shop label stuck to the inside top right of the gown.
Place of Origin
China (made)
Date
1900-1960 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Cut silk velvet on a satin weave ground
Dimensions
Length: 150 cm, Width: 178 cm across sleeves
Object history note
Registered File number 1965/3344.
Descriptive line
Man's robe, cut silk velvet on a satin weave ground, China, 1900-1960, late Qing dynasty-Republican China.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Wilson, Verity. "A Diplomat's Collection: The Chinese Textiles of Sir John Addis." Arts of Asia. 2003, vol. 33, no. 2. pp. 90-101; plate 22, page 99.
Exhibition History
Chinese Textiles from the Addis Bequest (Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London 16/06/1997-29/08/1997)
Labels and date
In the first decades of the twentieth century, this traditional silk robe would frequently have been worn with a short, front fastening jacket (ma gua), western-style trousers and a trilby hat. The man's robe in this period was shorter than earlier examples, revealing the trousers below. Although this type of dress has all but disappeared in China and would not have been seen by Sir John Addis after the mid-1950s, it is still worn at important clan rituals in the New Territories of Hong Kong. The material, dating between 1900 and 1940, was probably made up especially for Sir John in the 1950s. It is the right size for him although it is unlikely that he ever wore it. There is no sign of wear and such a luxurious robe would have been inappropriate at the time.
Materials
Silk (textile)
Techniques
Satin weave; Plain weave; Velvet weave
Subjects depicted
Geometric patterns; Cranes; Roundels
Categories
Textiles; Fashion; Men's clothes
Collection code
EAS
