Detail View: The AMICA Library: Woman's Robe

AMICA ID: 
CMA_.1995.20
AMICA Library Year: 
1998
Object Type: 
Textiles
Creator Nationality: 
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
Creator Dates/Places: 
China
Creator Name-CRT: 
China, Liao dynasty (907-1125)
Title: 
Woman's Robe
Title Type: 
Primary
View: 
Full View
Creation Date: 
907 - 1125
Creation Start Date: 
907
Creation End Date: 
1125
Materials and Techniques: 
embroidery, silk and gold thread on silk gauze ground; silk lining, silk batting
Classification Term: 
Embroidery
Dimensions: 
Overall: 130cm, Average: 177cm
AMICA Contributor: 
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Owner Location: 
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ID Number: 
1995.20
Credit Line: 
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Rights: 
Context: 
Woman's RobeEmbroidery; silk and gold thread on silk gauze ground; silk lining, silk battingLiao Dynasty (907-1125)The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1995.20(Cat. no. 51)The robe is embroidered on the back with clouds and paired phoenixes(associated with female members of the imperial family). Single phoenixesand clouds occur at the shoulders. On the front, fragments of another largepair of phoenixes remain. The birds and clouds are set against a scrollingvine pattern embroidered with gold thread, of which only the gold leafremains.The design was drawn and then embroidered with silk and gold threads onlengths of fabric (gauze backed with silk) before they were cut and seamed.The robe was then lined, with silk batting between the layers for warmth.Toward the end of the Liao dynasty, rules for wearing Khitan-style dress(overlapping toward the left) became increasingly relaxed. This may explainthe robe's front overlap toward the right, which accords with Chinesecustom.A description of the reconstruction of this robe can be found in theexhibition catalogue.
Related Image Identifier Link: 
CMA_.1995.20.tif