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2005.5.269 - Yellow Silk Tibetan Chuba

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Object Typerobe Artistunknown Date Madedate unknown

Item Details

Object Typerobe Artistunknown Date Madedate unknown
Accession Number 2005.5.269 Title Yellow Silk Tibetan Chuba Category clothing Object Type robe Artist unknown Date Made date unknown Place Made Tibet Culture Tibetan Period 18th century Materials yellow silk satin embroidered with silk and metal-wrapped threads Materials Glossary Embroidery View Materials Glossary Details » Measurements overall: 132.6 cm x 184.2 cm; neck to hem: 132.6 cm; cuff to cuff: x 184.2 cm Description
This robe is a traditional style of Tibetan robe, or a chuba, made from embroidered yellow silk satin fabric, which was initially made for a dragon robe and imported to Tibet from the Qing imperial court. In Tibet,…
This robe is a traditional style of Tibetan robe, or a chuba, made from embroidered yellow silk satin fabric, which was initially made for a dragon robe and imported to Tibet from the Qing imperial court. In Tibet, tailors modified the collar and sleeves to suit the local style better. Thus the robe has yellow satin parts, without embroidery patterns, around the neckline and sleeve ends. The robe features motifs of dragons with flaming pearls, long thin clouds, rocks, waves and colourful striped water at the hem. There are eight dragons on the exterior of the robe: one on the chest, one on the back, one on each shoulder, and two on the front and back of the lower robe. As is typically seen in Chinese dragon robes, there is a hidden ninth dragon underneath the right overlap.

There are the Twelve Symbols embroidered on the robe: the sun with a three-legged bird and the moon with a rabbit are placed on shoulders, stars and mountains are above the dragon’s head on the front and back, dragons, a pheasant, an axe, the fu symbol, cups, seaweed, flames, and grain. The placement of these symbols align with the Qing imperial costume regulations for the emperor’s dragon robe.

Credit Line Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart

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"2005.5.269 - Yellow Silk Tibetan Chuba, Mactaggart Art Collection." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/21-19491. Accessed 14 May. 2025.