Panel
1800-1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This embroidered wedding hanging may have been used as a valance around the top of a bed. Its theme of boys at play serves to emphasize the belief that marriage is the vehicle for the perpetuation of the male line. The musical instrument held by the boy in a pink coat and green trousers is a sheng, a mouth-organ of great antiquity in China. Its name in Chinese has the same sound as the word meaning 'to be born'. The infant in the dark-blue coat and yellow trousers holds out a sceptre with silk tassels dangling from it. This embodies the idea that everything will go as you wish, and the meaning is also derived from a play on words.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Embroidered silk with gold thread |
| Brief description | Embroidered silk panel, China, 1800-1900 |
| Physical description | Panel of dull green silk, embroidered with red, blue, white, yellow, green and pink silks. The embroidery is mainly in satin stitch, with some stem stitch and French knots and gilt thread. The design shows a battle between a dragon and a phoenix. In addition theres is one small boy urging on the phoenix and another riding the dragon. Four other boys are looking on and playing with toys. Also shown are three flowering trees: a peach, magnolia and pomegranate. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Harrison-Topham Gift |
| Summary | This embroidered wedding hanging may have been used as a valance around the top of a bed. Its theme of boys at play serves to emphasize the belief that marriage is the vehicle for the perpetuation of the male line. The musical instrument held by the boy in a pink coat and green trousers is a sheng, a mouth-organ of great antiquity in China. Its name in Chinese has the same sound as the word meaning 'to be born'. The infant in the dark-blue coat and yellow trousers holds out a sceptre with silk tassels dangling from it. This embodies the idea that everything will go as you wish, and the meaning is also derived from a play on words. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.26-1952 |
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| Record created | January 30, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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