Accession Number
2005.5.71
Title
Brown Silk Informal Robe for a Woman
Alternate TitleChangyi, or informal court lined robe, for a woman, semi-formal style
Category
clothing
Object Type
robe
Artist
unknown
Date Made
1875-1908
Place Made
China
Culture
Chinese
Period
Qing 19th-20th centuries
Materials
brown silk twill embroidered with silk
Materials Glossary
Embroidery
View Materials Glossary Details »Measurements
overall: 137.9 cm x 147 cm; neck to hem: 137.9 cm; cuff to cuff: x 147 cm
Description
A brown silk twill robe embroidered with many multi-coloured butterflies, rendered in smooth satin stitches of multi-coloured silk floss. Wide sleeves end in a faux folded cuff exposing a white silk sleeve lining…
A brown silk twill robe embroidered with many multi-coloured butterflies, rendered in smooth satin stitches of multi-coloured silk floss. Wide sleeves end in a faux folded cuff exposing a white silk sleeve lining embroidered with a blue floral motif. The cuffs, neckline, and two side vents are edged with black silk twill trim embroidered with a blue floral motif. These trims are also accompanied by commercial silk ribbons with geometric designs. Ruyi, an auspicious wish-granting symbol, sit atop either side vent and are further accentuated by the aforementioned commercial ribbons. The robe is lined with a bright blue silk damask with a floral pattern. This type of robe, referred to as a changyi, is a type of informal garment for a Manchu woman. This garment, with long side slits, would have been worn over a full-length underdress to preserve modesty. The "one hundred" butterflies motif was especially popular among older women, as the homophonous translation of "butterflies" (蝴蝶 or húdié) means 80 or 90 years old and represents longevity.
Credit Line
Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart
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Citation
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Page Citation for 2005.5.71 - Brown Silk Informal Robe for a Woman
Page Citation
"2005.5.71 - Brown Silk Informal Robe for a Woman, Mactaggart Art Collection." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/21-19293. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Publications
AuthorVollmer, John and Jacqueline Simcox
TitleEmblems of Empire: Selections from the Mactaggart Art Collection