Robe
mid 19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Manchu woman's semi-formal robe (jifu) of red silk satin embroidered in coloured floss silks. The embroidery is in satin and pekin knot stitch and shows eight large roundels (batuan) containing flowers (peonies and chrysanthemums). Single flower sprays and large butterflies are also scattered on the ground. The hem of the garment is embroidered with three-peaked mountains emerging from waves.
The robe is full length and fastens on the right side with four loops. It has long and wide sleeves and wide horse hoof cuffs (matixiu). The neck, front flap and matixiu cuffs are trimmed with a dark blue silk band embroidered in multi coloured floss silks with flowers.
The robe has a blue silk plain weave lining.
The robe is full length and fastens on the right side with four loops. It has long and wide sleeves and wide horse hoof cuffs (matixiu). The neck, front flap and matixiu cuffs are trimmed with a dark blue silk band embroidered in multi coloured floss silks with flowers.
The robe has a blue silk plain weave lining.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Embroidered silk satin, lined with silk |
| Brief description | Woman's semi-formal robe of embroidered silk satin, China, mid 19th century |
| Physical description | Manchu woman's semi-formal robe (jifu) of red silk satin embroidered in coloured floss silks. The embroidery is in satin and pekin knot stitch and shows eight large roundels (batuan) containing flowers (peonies and chrysanthemums). Single flower sprays and large butterflies are also scattered on the ground. The hem of the garment is embroidered with three-peaked mountains emerging from waves. The robe is full length and fastens on the right side with four loops. It has long and wide sleeves and wide horse hoof cuffs (matixiu). The neck, front flap and matixiu cuffs are trimmed with a dark blue silk band embroidered in multi coloured floss silks with flowers. The robe has a blue silk plain weave lining. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs G. Knoblock |
| Object history | In general, in the court system of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a more limited dress-code appeared to have been available for women ranking down from the Empress and Imperial Consorts to wives of officers of the Seventh rank. (Men had a range of court dress for specific occasions). Not all Imperial robes will be ornamented with the symbol of the dragon, as this one demonstrates. Even the Emperor's wives and concubines did not necessarily always wear robes decorated with dragons. Women also had sets of clothes made for auspicious celebrations such as weddings or the birthdays of older wearers, and the clothes made for these occasions were worn for future events of importance. However, most formal imperial attire will bear the signature motif of the multi-layered rocks emerging from a sea of many-coloured waters. This type of robe is called a jifu, an 'Auspicious' Robe. It functions as a type of semi-formal court robe for a woman. The wide cut and roomy sleeves joined to wide sleeve cuffs is a design feature which appeared during the reign of the Daoguang Emperor. The combination of a batuan (eight roundels) composition and the lishui border at the hem indicates formal wear and here probably a political or imperial association of the wearer. |
| Historical context | Cf. T.209-1948 is almost identical but on a green ground. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.52-1951 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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