Page 44 - Dreweatts May 19, 2015 Chinese and Asian Works of Art, Good section on late Chinese Bronzes

DONNINGTON PRIORY

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A coral ground silk Tibetan chuba, tailored from 18th century Chinese silk brocade, featuring eight five-
claw dragons, three on the front, three on the back, and one on each sleeve, floating in the cosmic setting
represented by the mountains (the earth), waves (the sea), and the clouds (the sky), amid vaporous clouds
depicted in the five auspicious colours of white, blue, black, red and yellow, representing, respectively, the five
elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth in the Chinese philosophy of the universe

西藏 十八世纪 御制橙地丝织五爪龙纹袍
Yuan, Ming and Qing emperors patronised important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and abbots with lavish gifts,
including silks. Tributes sent to religious leaders by the Chinese emperors were annotated in the inventories of
the monasteries from at least the 15th century. In an effort to control the Northern and Western regions, the
Ming court bestowed gifts and titles on Tibetan religious leaders and sanctioned trade in luxury gifts. Tibet never
produced silk, which was always imported from China for exclusive use by the Tibetans or originally intended
for the Chinese court. Often, these court textiles were re-tailored in Tibetan styles or re-used to decorate temple
buildings, departing, therefore, from their original schemes and symbolic meanings. Until the present century,
many of the leading Tibetan Buddhist lamas, such as the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, wore elaborately decorated
robes, such as the present one, on state occasions.

For reference see Vollmer, John (2004), Silks for Thrones and Altars: Chinese Costumes and Textiles ; Linrothe,
Robert (2004), Paradise and Plumage: Chinese Connections in Tibetan Arhat Painting.

£3,000-5,000

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