Jacket
ca. 1909 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The short jacket derives its impact from the dramatic colouring and bold motifs. The purple ground is embellished with velvet pile in a deeper tone, which is framed by black satin edgings and elongated loops with knot buttons. The crossover section, closing the garment from left to right, is secured by pairing a set of loops and buttons vertically across the collarbone. The other fastenings are arranged horizontally at the neck, at the side, and at the stepped hem respectively. We should not presume that the large design of velvet peonies indicates that this garment was for a woman. It was originally described in the museum records as the type of garment 'worn by Manchurian ladies'. A tag sewn inside the jacket includes the term 'riding jacket', a name commonly used for a Chinese man's short jacket. The Museum acquired this garment from the Japan-British Exhibition held in London in 1910. This event was a showcase for Japanese imperialism, a way of showing that the island nation was bent on widening its spheres of influence. Manchuria, in noth-east China, was one of the areas Japan wished to penetrate.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Voided silk velvet, trimmed with bias-cut satin-weave silk |
| Brief description | Jacket (magua) for a Manchu woman, probably made of Japanese voided cut silk velvet, tailored in Dalian, north-east China, ca. 1909 |
| Physical description | Jacket (magua) for a Manchu woman, woven in cut silk velvet on a maroon satin ground with stems of peony and other flowers, and kikko (tortoiseshell) patterns. The jacket is of waist-length and with long and tight sleeves, right-side fastening (6 black silk loop and knot buttons) in the pipa style closure, and a black bias-cut satin band edged the stand-up collar and the pipa side opening. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by the Imperial Commissioners of the Japan-British Exhibition |
| Object history | Given by Mr. H. Yamawaki, on behalf of the Japanese Imperial Commission, accessioned in 1911. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. Notes on significance: Acquired as 'modern' together with T.2, T.3 and T.4-1911, sets of contemporary Manchu dress, all subsequently B.O.S. The Liaodong Peninsula, in north-east China, was ceded to the Empire of Japan from 195 to 1945 under the Kwantung Lease Territory. |
| Production | From 1905-45, the southern part of the Liaodong Peninsula, in north-east China was a leased territory to Japan, known as the Kwantung Leased Territory. |
| Association | |
| Summary | The short jacket derives its impact from the dramatic colouring and bold motifs. The purple ground is embellished with velvet pile in a deeper tone, which is framed by black satin edgings and elongated loops with knot buttons. The crossover section, closing the garment from left to right, is secured by pairing a set of loops and buttons vertically across the collarbone. The other fastenings are arranged horizontally at the neck, at the side, and at the stepped hem respectively. We should not presume that the large design of velvet peonies indicates that this garment was for a woman. It was originally described in the museum records as the type of garment 'worn by Manchurian ladies'. A tag sewn inside the jacket includes the term 'riding jacket', a name commonly used for a Chinese man's short jacket. The Museum acquired this garment from the Japan-British Exhibition held in London in 1910. This event was a showcase for Japanese imperialism, a way of showing that the island nation was bent on widening its spheres of influence. Manchuria, in noth-east China, was one of the areas Japan wished to penetrate. |
| Bibliographic reference | Verity Wilson, 'Chinese Dress', (London, 1986), p.52 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.5-1911 |
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| Record created | March 2, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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