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Accession Number 2005.5.439 Title Embroidered Silk Roundel for the Lantern Festival Alternate Title New Year Festival badge probably for an imperial prince; Embroidered Silk Roundel for the Lantern Festival Category clothing Object Type roundel Artist unknown Date Made 1573-1619 Place Made China Culture Chinese Period Ming 16th-17th centuries Materials gold wrapped silk thread; silk; silk floss; embroidery Materials Glossary Embroidery View Materials Glossary Details » Measurements overall: 37 cm diameter; frame: 44.5 cm x 43.2 cm Description

Embroidered silk roundel with dragon, flames, clouds, mountains, waves and other symbols. This circular badge was made for a high-ranking member of the imperial family to wear during New Year celebrations. The…

Embroidered silk roundel with dragon, flames, clouds, mountains, waves and other symbols. This circular badge was made for a high-ranking member of the imperial family to wear during New Year celebrations. The gourd-shaped lanterns above the front-facing dragon are adorned with longevity characters (shou and wan), which was worn to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which occurred on the full moon of the first lunar month. The dragon and some of the symbols have been embroidered using gold metal-wrapped silk floss, which has been couched to the backing fabric and adds texture to the design.

Read More + Credit Line Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart