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Accession Number 2005.5.263 Title Embroidered Red Silk Banner Category textiles Object Type banner Artist unknown Date Made 1700-1722 Place Made China Culture Chinese Period Qing 18th century Materials silk satin embroidered with silk and metal-wrapped threads Materials Glossary Embroidery View Materials Glossary Details » Measurements overall: 145.5 cm x 193 cm Description

Red silk satin banner embroidered with dragon, flames, clouds, and flaming pearl. The yellow silk damask trim adds a flame-like border. In military campaigns, the emperor’s regiment used dragon motifs to…

Red silk satin banner embroidered with dragon, flames, clouds, and flaming pearl. The yellow silk damask trim adds a flame-like border. In military campaigns, the emperor’s regiment used dragon motifs to distinguish themselves from lower-ranking military units. This five-clawed dragon banner would have been used in the emperor’s procession, which followed him during ceremonies.This type of flag is also illustrated in the Huangchao Liqi Tushi (“Illustrated Regulations of the Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Imperial Qing dynasty”) and is titled “The Banner [style] for the Eight-banner System in Emperor’s Procession.” The backside of the banner has no decoration.

Read More + Credit Line Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart