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8092
8092 complements the intricate embroidery and retains the formal shape
A CHESTNUT EMBROIDERED GAUZE ‘DRAGON’ ROBE required for robes of the Imperial family and high-ranking officials.
Jiaqing period
The fine silk gauze of a soft chestnut color, couched with four five- The present example is particularly unusual for the details embroidered
clawed front-facing dragons each encircling a flaming pearl on the front, amongst the cloud scrolls, including the combination of nandina
back and shoulders, four further five-clawed dragons on the lower (天竹 tianzhu), narcissus (水仙 shuixian) and fungus (靈芝 lingzhi),
register and another on the inside flap, all amongst woven tasseled symbolizing the birthday wish ‘May the immortal fungus bestow
peaches, scattered sprays of red nandina or narcissus with lingzhi longevity’, 芝仙祝壽 zhixian zhushou. In this rebus the narcissus and
fungus amidst cloud scrolls, the deep hem woven with jagged peaks fungus represent the ‘immortal fungus’ and the second character
rising through foaming waves supporting chrysanthemum and precious of nandina a pun for ‘congratulate’, 祝 zhu. The combination of
objects, the sleeves of ribbed dark blue silk and the horseshoe cuffs references to long life suggest that the robe may have been worn to
with dragons and bats above waves, the lining also of chestnut gauze. celebrate an important birthday.
56 3/4in (144cm) long
$60,000 - 80,000 Compare a chestnut gauze robe, dated to the Qianlong period, sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, sale 3322, 28 May 2014, lot 3345, and another
清嘉慶 栗色紗納繡芝仙祝壽金龍紋袍 dated to the Jiaqing period sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October
2007, lot 1331.
Delicate silk gauze was favored for summer wear by the Manchu
court, in contrast to the heavier silk robes suitable for colder
weather. Despite its fineness, the fabric nevertheless supports and
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