Rinsing silk threads in river
Painting
1870-1890 (made)
1870-1890 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting is from an album depicting the silk industry. Women rinsed the raw silk threads in water to remove the sericin gum and other oily substances which stuck the threads together. The romanticised theme of women rinsing silk by the riverside has long been a popular subject in Chinese poetry and painting.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Rinsing silk threads in river (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and ink on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, 'Rinsing Silk Threads in River', eight of sixteen by Wu Jun, watercolours on paper, Guangzhou, 1870-1890 |
| Physical description | Rectangular painting in cool tones depicting a central scene. It is bordered with blue ribbon. A series of figures lean into a river. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | This painting is from an album depicting the silk industry. Raw silk threads are usually stuck together by sericin gum and other oily substances, which can be removed by thoroughly rinsing the silk threads in water. The aspect of women rinsing silk by the riverside has long been romanticized and has become a much-loved subject matter in Chinese poetry and painting. One of sixteen paintings from a series numbered D.911 to 926-1901. Each sheet in the album depicting a different stage of the cultivation and manafacture of silk. Purchased from Carl Langweil, accessioned in 1901. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Summary | This painting is from an album depicting the silk industry. Women rinsed the raw silk threads in water to remove the sericin gum and other oily substances which stuck the threads together. The romanticised theme of women rinsing silk by the riverside has long been a popular subject in Chinese poetry and painting. |
| Associated objects |
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| Bibliographic reference | Souvenir from Canton : Chinese export paintings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Shanghai, 2003
87 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | D.918-1901 |
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| Record created | September 10, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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