About the Item

A wonderful piece of embroidery art from China circa 19th century beautifully presented in a shadow box frame that accentuate its aesthetic. The square form cushion cover features superb needlework such as satin stitches and forbidden knots that depicts a boy and a girl riding Qilin or Kirin, a Chinese mythological chimerical animal with elements of dragon, horse and lion, and with one unicorn-like horn. Besides being a symbol of luck, prosperity, success and longevity in Chinese culture, it is also a symbol of fertility, being the bearer with the gift of more offspring. The image of a boy and a girl riding Qilin indicates this aspect of symbolism and suggests that it may have a specific place in the household. The entourage in the center are surrounded by other prosperous symbols such as peonies, ribbons coins and flying bats. The embroidery was done with a more somber color palette of blue, white and black in contrast with the yellow background. Surrounding the center square is an inner band of appliqued bronze mirror mosaic and an outer border of embroidered peonies. Impressively , on the four corners, tassels made of yellow amber color glass beads remain, together with elements of tiny copper bells at their ends. This preserved feature is quite unusual in antique textile of considerable age. The silk used on this piece is yellow which was normally reserved for the royal families in Qing Dynasty. Together with the meticulous workmanship and the precious material appointed to the piece such as the amber beads, these features clearly point the piece to an aristocratic origin. The fragile status of the piece also suggests that the piece has considerable age, dated to early 19th century and possibly earlier.

Dimensions:
Height: 27.75 in (70.49 cm)Width: 27.75 in (70.49 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Style:
Chinese Export (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Silk,Wood
Place of Origin:
China
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
19th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading. Overall worn antique and conserved condition, scattered thread losses throughout and frays on the edges. Expected wrinkles and areas of slight sagging from mounting due to the age. Not examined outside of frame. Recently framed.
Seller Location:
Atlanta, GA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU945023667682

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