Page 108 - Bonhams, FIne Chinese Art, Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, May 13, 2021 London

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A RARE EMBROIDERED BLUE-GROUND Superbly embroidered in wrapped gold and Compare with a similarly-shaped, although
DAMASK SILK WOMAN’S INFORMAL multicoloured threads with elegant designs less ornate, silk informal robe, late 19th
OVERCOAT, WAITAO of court figures and boys at play, the present century, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Imperial Silks.
19th century robe would have been worn by a high-ranking Ch’ing Dynasty Textiles in the Minneapolis
Finely embroidered on the front and back in Han Chinese woman. Institute of Arts, vol.1, Minneapolis MA, 2000,
gold-wrapped thread and satin stitch with a p.524-525, no.221. See also an informal
continuous scene depicting various officials Women of the Han society often paired calf- midnight-blue coat, 19th century, illustrated in
and court figures paying homage to two length garments with pleated paired-apron Sous La Griffe Du Dragon. Costumes de Cour
elderly officials in a garden scene with elegant wraparound silk skirts, a combination that had de la dynastie de Qing (1644-1911), 2004,
pavilions, flowering shrubs and luxurious existed for centuries prior to the establishment Milan, no.35.
trees interspersed with fluttering butterflies, of the Qing dynasty. As the present example
cranes and other mythical birds, all on a illustrates, these robes were fastened down the A related embroidered midnight-blue satin
deep midnight-blue ground, the pale yellow- centre front, in Ming style, or with the right-front Han Chinese woman’s informal overcoat,
ground satin collar, edges and cream silk overlap with a loop-and-toggle-button closure. waitao, third quarter 19th century, was sold at
sleevebands meticulously embroidered with They were typically worn during celebrations Christie’s New York, 19 March 2008, lot 82.
continuous scenes depicting ‘the Hundred such as New Year, birthdays, seasonal festivals
Boys at Play’, blue lining. and formal family gatherings. Their colours,
142cm (55 7/8in) wide x 102cm (40in) long. cut, imagery and pattern size were deemed
appropriate to the age of the wearer and the
£4,000 - 6,000 nature of the occasion they were worn; see
CNY36,000 - 54,000 J.Vollmer, Imperial Silks. Ch’ing Dynasty Textiles
in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis
MS, 2000, p.479.
十九世紀 藍地彩繡人物故事紋馬褂

Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth, London,
1995

來源：倫敦Linda Wrigglesworth，1995年

(reverse detail)

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