A LARGE MANILA SHAWL WITH RED PEONIES

Description:

China, around 1900, for export
156 x 158 cm (ohne Fransen)
Black silk, embroidery double sided, silk (colored), twisted threads, satin stitch. Long fringe knotted in macramée. Four large red peonies are placed around another in the center. The field as well as the offset frame are filled with various small flowers and bluish leaves. This type of square cloths were made in China in the 19th century for export to Spain and Europe. There they were used as part of clothing, but also as a throw over furniture. The names range from piano spread to Manila shawl, after the port through which the export took place. Especially in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries, the shawls were worn by ladies folded into a triangle over their shoulders and also formed part of dance costumes. The long heavy fringes emphasized the movements of the dancers.
Old South German private collection, collected before 1990 - Slight signs of age and wear