A CHINESE EMBROIDERED DRAGON ROBE
Under strict Qing regulations, the use of the dragon motif was reserved for only the emperor and the empress. In summer, the Manchu rulers and nobility exchanged their heavy satin robes for lighter garments made of silk gauze to allow for better ventilation. The gossamer quality of the material, coupled with the rich chestnut colour on this robe, provide a perfect foundation for gold couching and embroidery carried out in multi-coloured thread, creating a strong visual contrast and three-dimensional effect. The current robe was probably made for a first-rank prince, his heir apparent or a second-rank prince. The colour of this robe is known as jiang in Chinese, which is written in two characters interchangeably meaning either ‘dark red’ or ‘sauce’. It was a popular choice of colour for robes during the Qianlong period, and was particularly favoured by the Emperor himself.
Dimension: L. 198 cm. W. 145 cm.

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