Page 39 - Chiense TExtiles, MET MUSEUM Pub 1934

CHINESE TEXTILES
therefore, to be discussed is a fragmentary specimen 6
which can be dated with some accuracy, since it was
part of the pontifical vestments of Pope Benedict XI,
who died in Perugia in 1304- This enables us to place it
somewhere in the thirteenth century, and while that

FIG. 9· BORDER DETAIL
OF EMBROIDERED CHAIR-BACK COVER
DESIGN IN COUCHED TWIST
K'ANG HSI PERIOD
may not seem to uphold our assumption of accurate dat-
ing, in the field of early Chinese textiles, undocumented
as it is, we consider ourselves lucky if we can hit even
the century. The brocade in this case is woven of silk
and flat strips of leather membrane covered with gold
leaf. On later brocades tough paper frequently forms the
base for the gold. The method of wrapping gold foil on
6
Acquired by purchase in 1919.
29