Court robe of satin embroidered with silks and gold threads, China, 1722-1850

Dragon robe of peach satin embroidered with colour silks and gold threads in satin, split, long and short and stem stitches with laid and couched work.

The embroidered design shows coloured clouds, bats, peaches and nine 'lung' dragons, the ones in profile clasping jewels. Around the bottom are embroidered mountains, the waves with the ba bao and the li shui.

The sleeves have evidently been altered with inserts of yellow silk damask with a cloud pattern, and the cuffs and collar are of embroidered blue silk. The cloud and wave design on the cuffs is different from that on the collar, which again is different from that on the robe itself. Also the robe, although well decorated is by no means over-cluttered, with symbols etc.

The cuff and collar stylistical elements are of 19th century style. The wave and li shui design on the robe is certainly of the mid-18th century style, as is the design of the tall, thin mountain. The clouds are in the style of mid-18th century design, being long and straggling usually with a pointed 'tail'. On this basis it could well have been an 18th century robe with later alterations to the sleeves and probably the collar. Also the robe, although well decorated is by no means over-cluttered, with symbols etc.

It is difficult to decide whether or not this is a lady's robe, as the sleeves have been altered (the lining coincides with these alterations), but as it is not slit at the front and back, and is embroidered with peaches (only 2 of our male robes have peaches as part of the decoration), it would seem not unreasonable to assume this to be a lady's robe.

The lishui and rock motif on the hem is reminscent of the way the design pattern of the Yongzheng period; however, the same motifs on the black trim around the collar bear motifs from another period (possibly Jiaqing/Daoguang). The face of the main front facing dragon is too broad (which may be the result of very bad joining), and faces of the two xinglong are very poorly executed as well, and do not resemble dragon motifs of the Yongzheng period; also, again, these dragon designs do not match the ones adorning the collar trim.
(Yueh-Siang Chang 22 April 2009)

This dragon robe is decorated with a schematic picture of the universe. Around the hem are the oceans represented by lines of water and curling waves. In the middle is a tripartite mountain representing the earth, and above this nine dragons fly in the sky amid clouds. The garment has the distinctive 'horsehoof' cuffs and side-fastening.

T.108-1967