Page 327 - September 23 to 24 Important Chinese Art Christie's NYC

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF AN AMERICAN GENTLEMAN
1027
A PURPLE-GROUND SILK BROCADE ROBE, CHUBA Interaction with Tibet, which began in the 10th century, underscores the
QING DYNASTY (1644-1911) complexities of China's diplomacy and trade. After the collapse of the Tang
dynasty, Tibetans established a rival dynasty, the Xia, which controlled the
The side-closing chuba was tailored in Tibet from Chinese Qing dynasty
Gansu corridor and trade with Central Asia and the West. Although Tibetan
purple silk brocade, woven in gold and multi-colored threads with five-clawed
imperial ambitions were crushed by the Yuan dynasty in the 13th century, its
dragons grasping flaming pearls and superimposed against a background
leaders continued to enjoy special prominence, due to the strong attachment
of cloud clusters picked out in various shades of pink, blue, green and ochre,
of the Mongol court to Tantric Buddhism. In the Ming dynasty, the court
all above the terrestrial diagram tossed with the Eight Buddhist emblems
renewed the Yuan practice of bestowing gifts and titles on Tibetan religious
(bajixiang) at the hem. The collar and cuffs are fashioned from the lishui.
leaders and of sanctioning trade in luxury goods. Religious power politics
57Ω in. (146.1 cm.) long x 60 in. (152.4 cm) wide
involving Tibet and Mongolia lasted into the 17th century and imperial
patronage of Tibetan Buddhism continued throughout the Qing dynasty.
$10,000-15,000
Tibet, which had no indigenous silk industry, looked to China to supply these
PROVENANCE:
luxuries for its aristocracy and high-ranking clergy. Although some silks were
Robert Brandt, London, 2007. manufactured specifically for the Tibetan market, many of the textiles sent

美國私人珍藏 to Tibet had originally been produced for the Chinese court, such as the
present robe. They were often drawn from textiles amassed by the imperial
清 紫地織錦緞彩雲龍紋藏袍 household and held in reserve for such purposes. Although highly prized,
garments and furnishing fabrics were often re-cut to fit Tibetan costume
來源:
styles or to serve new functions, which were often at variance with their
Robert Brandt, 倫敦, 2007年。
original decorative schemes and symbolic meanings.

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