Page 101 - Bonhams, FIne Chinese Art, Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, May 13, 2021 London

85
A FINE IMPERIAL KESI ‘DRAGON’ ROUNDEL FROM A The Qing emperors made Beijing a major centre for the study of
CEREMONIAL GARMENT Tibetan Buddhism. The Qianlong emperor, in particular, recognised
Qianlong the supremacy of the religious authority of the Dalai Lama, and in
Finely woven with a gold front-facing five-clawed dragon with its turn Tibetans acknowledged the emperor as the incarnation of the
body coiled around a flaming pearl as it leaps amidst ruyi clouds Bodhisattva Manjusri, a manifestation of the Buddha of the Future.
interspersed with the Eight Buddhist Emblems, Bajixiang, above
billowing waves, all woven in fine gold and multi-coloured threads on a The origin of Imperial surcoats, gunfu appears to date to the Zhou
black silk ground. dynasty (circa 1050-265BC). The name continued to be used
28.5cm (11 1/2in) diam. throughout the Qing dynasty, suggesting the emperors’ intention
of representing themselves as Chinese emperors. The emperor’s
£5,000 - 8,000 surcoat was decorated with four roundels each centred with a five-
CNY45,000 - 72,000 clawed dragon, long. The roundels positioned at the shoulders were
also decorated with the symbols of the sun and the moon, two of
the most important Twelve symbols of Imperial Authority. One of
清乾隆 御製緙絲袞服雲龍圓補 the first reference to the garment in the early eighteenth century
court regulations specifies the wearing of the gunfu on the occasion
Provenance: a European private collection, 19th century. of the first day of the annual sacrifices at the Altar of Heaven; see
Linda Wrigglesworth, London S.V.R.Camman, China’s Dragon Robes, New York, 1952, p.28. By the
mid eighteenth century, wearing a surcoat over a semi-formal dragon
來源：十九世紀，歐洲私人舊藏 robe jifu, was widespread throughout the court.
倫敦Linda Wrigglesworth
Compare with a related silk embroidered dragon roundel from a
Finely embroidered with a front-facing striding dragon pursuing the ceremonial garment, early 18th century, similarly decorated with a front-
flaming pearl, the present roundel would have likely decorated an facing five-clawed dragon surrounded by the Eight Buddhist Emblems,
Imperial ceremonial surcoat. from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc.no.62.97.36.

A related and rare Imperial kesi dragon roundel from an emperor’s
surcoat was sold at Christie’s New York, 19 March 2008, lot 5.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. FINE CHINESE ART | 97