Page 275 - Bonhams May 12 16 London

269 Several studies suggest that the soft-green silk colour of the robe was
A TEAL-GREEN SILK WOMAN’S ROBE WITH BUTTERFLIES, reserved for a princess, imperial daughter-in-law or consorts. Replete
CHANGYI with auspicious meaning, the decoration on the robe represents
19th century wishes for ‘long life’ and may have thus been worn by a noblewoman
Finely worked in satin stitch with multi-coloured butterflies and cranes for her birthday celebrations. As a homophone with ‘septuagenarian’,
flitting amidst the Eight Daoist Emblems and a profusion of blossoming butterflies occur in conjunction with cranes, vehicle of the Immortals,
peonies, chrysanthemums, orchids, narcissus, prunus, magnolias, the attributes of the much-celebrated group of the Eight Immortals,
lotus and ruyi, all within further butterflies on a cream border and the long-lasting lingzhi fungus, prunus and chrysanthemums, all
flowers embroidered in three-blue silk threads on a black ground, the highly symbolic of longevity. Together with lotus, bamboo and orchid,
same patterns picked out in vibrant shades of pink, blue, red and chrysanthemums also symbolise the ‘Four Gentlemen of flowers’ while
yellow on the cream cuffs. lotus symbolises purity.
141cm (55 1/2in) long

£3,000 - 5,000 CNY28,000 - 46,000 For reference, see L.Wrigglesworth, Imperial Wardrobe, London, 1990.
HK$33,000 - 55,000 Compare with a similar robe in the Museum of Art, Philadelphia,
no.1971-61.1.
十九世紀 湖藍地緞繡富貴仙鶴紋女常服

FINE CHINESE ART | 273