Page 30 - Chiense TExtiles, MET MUSEUM Pub 1934

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
ful of all weaves and during most of that time has
formed the basis for the greater part of the robes, hang-
ings, cushions, and other accessories of the court, which
are usually heavily embroidered. There are many varia-
tions of the weave in the textiles of present-day China
as well as in those of earlier periods.
The earliest vel vets of China are at present ascribed to
the latter part of the Ming dynasty. This weave presents
another knotty problem to be solved, and concerns both
Chinese examples and those from other countries. The
earliest Italian velvets antedate the earliest Persian, which
are of the sixteenth century, yet the latter show such per-
fection of technique that it is obvious the weave was not
new to Persia at that time. Similarly, the beautiful sev-
enteenth-century velvets of China presuppose a consid-
erable experience in velvet weaving. It does not seem
likely that the Chinese originated the weave, since their
term for velvet is hui tse jung, jung meaning nap and
hui tse Central Asian, or in later times Muhammadan.
This seems to indicate that it came to China via Central
Asia, and quite probably from Persia, though just when
we have little idea as yet. The early Chinese velvets are
made entirely of silk and in general may be classified as
cut voided cloth velvet, cisele solid satin velvet, and cut
solid twill velvet. The voided velvets are also frequently
brocaded. We find these so-called Ming examples both
in Western collections and in the East, usually in the
form of chair covers, small valances or table covers, and
fragmentary bits.

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