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Woman’s
Informal Robe
China, Qing dynasty, 1870s
Silk gauze embroidered with silk in satin and stem stitches
and couched metal thread
Neusteter Textile Collection: Gift
of James P. Grant and Betty Grant Austin
1977.211
To see robe details (four), roll your
cursor over the image and click when the arrow changes shape.
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The
brilliant red color as well as the texture of the “sesame
seed” gauze create an effective foil for butterflies that
“fly” over the entire robe—including the insides
of the sleeves. A contemporary account by Der Ling, lady-in-waiting
to the Empress Dowager Cixi, describes Cixi dressing in a butterfly-embroidered
robe and sleeveless jacket complemented by hair ornaments and
jewelry of the same motif.
To
Lighter than Air
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