3 Chinese Embroidered Clothing, 19th Century

A group of embroidered Chinese clothing dating from the 19th century. Includes two skirts and a small vest. All three items have the forbidden stitch embroidery. One skirt has an embroidered image of a vase with flowers with pleats in alternating panels. The second skirt has an orange background with a large floral image with bats and butterflies. The small vest has multiple uses of forbidden stitch with a flying peacock, a large peony, and a human figure.

Dimensions are: Skirt one: 34 1/2 inches long X 47 inches wide; 87.6 cm long X 119.3 cm wide. Skirt two: 38 inches long X 46 inches wide; 96.5 cm long X 116.8 cm wide. All measurements are approximate.

Condition: Skirt one has holes in base fabric, waistband discoloration, and possible water damage. Skirt two has a few holes, and its bottom hem has areas of fraying and damage. Child's vest is in need of cleaning.

Provenance: From the old collection of Mr. William Wu, San Francisco, USA. William Wu (1939-2007) was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong with his family when he was young. In 1957, he was admitted to the Department of Philosophy at Princeton University. Because of his interest in history, in 1979 he received a doctorate in art history from Princeton University focusing on the Chinese artist Gong Xian. After graduation, he was successively employed as a professor of art history at Dartmouth, Oberlin, and other colleges. He later settled in San Francisco, California, where he presided over the Chinese Cultural Center, held regular cultural exhibitions, and devoted himself to introducing Chinese culture and artists to Western audiences. During the 1980s, he traveled between San Francisco and Shanghai and became an important bridge for cultural and artistic exchanges. Professor William Wu and the famous movie star Jet Li are distant relatives, and he was a great help in the early years of Jet Li's career development. Mr. Wu maintained contact with Jet Li during his life.