Imperial robe, brocaded silk, China, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

Imperial robe of sik brocade, woven in coloured silks and gold thread on a brown ground. The design is composed of four-clawed dragons pursuing or grasping flaming jewels. The longevity hills round which the waves are curling at the bottom are crowned with sacred fungus, and gnarled pines and chrysanthemums are growing from their sides. Bats are flying about and storks carrying peaches from the sacred tree of the Daoist paradise. The collar is mounted with a band of brocade with five-clawed dragons woven upon a dark blue ground.

Purchased from Mr. P. Kierulff (Villa Peking, Hellerup, Denmark), accessioned in 1901. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Purchased. Registered File number 31783/191.

Note on register:
An imperial robe of brocaded silk with four-clawed dragons of somewhat archaic designs woven upon a brown ground. The longevity hills round which the waves are curling at the bottom are crowned with polyporus fungus and chrysanthemums are growing from their sides, as well as gnarled pines. Bats are flying about and storks carrying in their beaks peaches from the sacred tree of the Daoist paradise. The collar is mounted with a band of brocade with five-clawed dragons woven on a dark blue ground. The cloak is to be referred to the Kangxi period (1662-1722).

1611-1901