Textile

Museum number:
9-13514a,b
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm210913514a@2cb
Accession number:
Acc.3360
Description:
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
Donor:
Arlene Miller Rolkin
Collection place:
China
Culture or time period:
Chinese
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Textile samples
Function:
4.0 Use not specified (Structures and Furnishings)
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Images:
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
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with 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

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