A PAIR OF HANGINGS EMBROIDERED WITH THE HUNDRED ANTIQUES

Description:

China, 18th to early 19th c.
je 275 x 55 cm
Wool (strong red), milled, imported from the West; embroidery: silk, satin stitch, partly overstitched, gold thread in various thicknesses, appliqué technique. In the two matching narrow and long hangings large vases with magnificent flower arrangements of chrysanthemums and begonias, or flowering branches and hydrangea, utensils and various vessels for incense, small table screens, ruyi sceptres, an open book, a miniature penjing landscape and other ornamental objects are depicted. The upper panel, each with a pair of four-clawed dragons flanking a shou medallion, shows that these hangings were probably made for a birthday celebration. In the lower field, a shizi lion sits in a landscape of pine trees, willows, orchids, peonies and lingzhi mushrooms, surrounded by bats. The lions, each crouching on a bizarre rock between waves, could be a reference to the jubilarian's high military rank. In the outer frames, the eight Buddhist treasures alternate between calabash tendrils with swastika. The inner frames contain orchid blossoms, a symbol of modesty. The embroidery is of outstanding quality in its execution and the materials used, but also regarding its design. The red wool fabric used as the base material was a precious import from the West.
From a Franconian private collection, assembled between 1960 and 1990s - Traces of age and use, the colors in good condition, threads partially loose