early 18th century
China
Object qualities
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Objectfurniture, chests, stoves: Furniture cover
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumSilk florentine-stitch embroidery on silk gauze
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Size47 1/4 x 39 1/2 in. (120.02 x 100.33 cm)
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Geography details
China -
Country today
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Dateearly 18th 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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This embroidered textile may have served as a table covering. At the center of the piece is a large, round, full-face flower surrounded by four flowers in profile with scrolling stems that sit in a geometric field. That field, in turn, has a wide border that repeats the theme of large flowers in profile and scrolling stems. Four sonorous stones and clusters of small, red nandina berries are also found in the border.
As with the needlepoint embroidery practiced today, the embroidery stitches of this textile completely cover the foundation cloth, a yellow silk gauze.