Donor: Arlene Miller Rolkin / Culture or time period: Asian cultures / Function: 4.0 Use not specified (Structures and Furnishings) - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Donor Arlene Miller Rolkin Culture or time period Asian cultures Function 4.0 Use not specified (Structures and Furnishings)

Hearst Museum object titled Textile, accession number 9-13550, described as Textile fragment of a woven silk weft brocade. Geometric floral pattern. Brocade threads float on back. Blue warp, green and gold wefts. Edges very frayed. Some deterioration of weft threads.

Hearst Museum object titled Textile, accession number 9-13514a,b, described as Textile Rectangles of red silk satin, embroidered in multi-color and gold. Taoist god rides a unicorn, or Chi-lin, and attendant holds a parasol. The god holds a Cassia blossom. Blue floral border. Both a, b have stained pink cotton linings and padding. a) has come unhemmed on one edge, revealing three layers of cotton and wool padding. a, b are mirror images. L. 21 cm. W. 17.5 cm. each Background: silk; satin weave. Pattern area: untwisted silk, gold wrapped silk; Chinese knot, couching, satin stitch. Supplementary: cotton, wool; plain weave. Possibly cushion ends. May have been a gift to a man at the time of passing his mandarin exams. Late 19th c. Symbolism: Unicorn - Chi-lin - Longevity, grandeur, felicity, wisdom; highest military rank; Cassia - scholarly attainment; Peony - riches, honor, love, spring; Chrysanthemum - steadfastness, autumn; Plum blossom - longevity, winter Mary V. Hays; S.F., Ca (personal contact). Williams; Outlines of Chinese Symbolism, pp. 60-61, 282, 296-297, 382-383

Hearst Museum object titled Textile, accession number 9-13510, described as Rectangle; white silk gauze, partially filled with four rows of petit point embroidery, following a painted pattern. Multicolored design with circles and octagons containing figures and flowers. Edges hemmed. Gauze deteriorating along one edge, at one corner, and in some inner spots. Two identical rows for each of two designs. L. 51 cm. W. 29 cm. China att. silk; gauze weave Pattern area: silk; petit point stitch Never used. Possibly intended as scroll covers, to be cut apart and sewn on top of silk cloth. 19th c. Symbolism: Grass orchid - modesty; Peony - riches, honor, love, spring; Plum blossom - long life, winter Mary V. Hays; S.F., Ca (personal contact). Williams; Outlines of Chinese Symbolism, pp. 263, 282, 296-297