18th century
China
Object qualities
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Objectclothes: Skirt, Imperial Theatrical
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumSilk and metallic-thread embroidery on silk satin, brocade borders
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SizeOverall: 38 3/4 x 54 3/4 in. (98.4 x 139.1 cm)
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Geography details
China -
Country today
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Date18th century
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CultureChina
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PeriodQing dynasty (1644-1911)
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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The pattern of this skirt—part of a theatrical ensemble with matching jacket 30.76.24—features an amalgam of grapevines and dragons that twists and curves across the white background. You can see one dragon head on the left of the jacket, and another can be found in the center on the back. The quality of both the materials and the workmanship is very high: note the subtle changes in color of the silk embroidery within the leaves and the use of gold thread to delineate the branches, leaves, and tendrils of the grapevine.