|
|
|
|
Gain access to this incredible resource through either a monthly or a yearly subscription and search the entire collection from your desktop, compare multiple images side by side and zoom into the minute details of the images. Visit www.davidrumsey.com/amica for more information on the collection, click on the link below the revolving thumbnail to the right, or email us at amica@luna-img.com . Creator Nationality: Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese Creator Dates/Places: China Creator Active Place: China Creator Name-CRT: China, Tapestry: Southern Song dynasty (1127-1270), late 12 century; Border: Ming dynasty (1368-1644), 15th century Title: Canopy: Dragon Among Flowers Title Type: Primary View: Full View Creation Start Date: 1166 Creation End Date: 1199 Creation Date: late 12th century Creation Start Date: 1400 Creation End Date: 1499 Creation Date: 1400s Object Type: Textiles Classification Term: Tapestries Materials and Techniques: tapestry: silk and gold. Border: lampas; silk and gold Dimensions: Overall: 87cm x 84.5cm AMICA Contributor: The Cleveland Museum of Art Owner Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA ID Number: 1995.1 Credit Line: John L. Severance Fund Rights: http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html Context: This canopy consists of a silk and gold tapestry surrounded by a border of deep blue silk with a gold floral design. The tapestry preserves part of a large dragon surrounded by flowers. Although the serpentine treatment of the dragon is Chinese, its upturned snout and the floral setting derive from the earlier tapestry tradition of Central Asia. Characteristic of imperial tapestries of the Southern Song are the exceedingly fine quality of the weaving and the fact that the gold thread has been gilded on both sides (gilding on one side is most common). It is known from Chinese records that Southern Song emperors used silk tapestries to mount paintings and cover handscrolls belonging to the imperial collection. Dragons surrounded by flowers were one of four tapestry designs used for these purposes. The border is a Chinese silk and gold textile dating from the early Ming dynasty. The density of its design and the quantity of gold thread with which it was woven are typical of luxury silks produced in China at that time. There is no information about the history of the cover or canopy other than that it is said to have been preserved in Tibet. Gifts of precious objects including textiles, however, are known to have been made to Tibetan officials and monasteries by the Mongol and early Ming rulers of China. Very possibly, the kesi (silk tapestry) was an imperial gift sent after the Southern Song dynasty was defeated by Kublai Khan in 1279. By that time, Tibet had become a single state closely allied with the Mongol imperial family. Whether the kesi was sewn to the blue-and-gold border before or after it reached Tibet is impossible to say. Nevertheless, the corners and attached tabs have suffered from extensive handling, and both the border and the tapestry show evidence of having been folded for a long time. The textile was probably used on special occasions as a canopy held over a sacred object or holy person and was otherwise stored folded. A.W. AMICA ID: CMA_.1995.1 AMICA Library Year: 1998 Media Metadata Rights: Copyright, The Cleveland Museum of Art AMICA PUBLIC RIGHTS: a) Access to the materials is granted for personal and non-commercial use. b) A full educational license for non-commercial use is available from Cartography Associates at www.davidrumsey.com/amica/institution_subscribe.html c) Licensed users may continue their examination of additional materials provided by Cartography Associates, and d) commercial rights are available from the rights holder. Home
| Subscribe
| Preview
| Benefits
| About
| Help
| Contact |
