University of Alberta Museums Search

Item Details

Accession Number 2005.5.17 Title Silk Tibetan Dancer's Robe Alternate Title Monastic dance costume Category clothing Object Type robe Artist unknown Date Made date unknown Place Made Tibet Culture Tibetan Period Qing 17th century Materials dark blue silk and metal-wrapped thread tapestry weave with red silk and metal-wrapped thread tapestry weave sleeves Measurements overall: 138 cm x 151 cm; neck to hem: 138 cm; cuff to cuff: x 151 cm Description

The robe is a religious costume used in a cham dance performed in Tibetan Buddhist festivals. It is a dramatic design, with two exaggerated sleeves and a pleated skirt attached to the main body, all of which are…

The robe is a religious costume used in a cham dance performed in Tibetan Buddhist festivals. It is a dramatic design, with two exaggerated sleeves and a pleated skirt attached to the main body, all of which are woven with multicoloured and metal-wrapped silk floss. The material of the body is blue silk ornamented with dragons. Both triangular sleeves are red tapestry weave patterned with multicoloured clouds and trimmed with gold brocade. In contrast, the side pleats of the skirt are adorned with a light-coloured pattern of flowing clouds. These skirt pleats would have expanded and contracted with the priest’s dance performance, creating a stunning effect during rituals.

The dragon silks on the body consist of two different fabrics: a brocade on the top and a tapestry below. On the front of the skirt, the blue tapestry displays a giant walking dragon and tiny dragons playing among clouds behind.

Read More + Credit Line Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart