AN EXTREMELY RARE IMPERIAL YELLOW-GROUND EMBROIDERED SILK 'DRAGON' ROBE, JIFU...
THE PROPERTY OF A LADY 女士藏品
AN EXTREMELY RARE IMPERIAL YELLOW-GROUND EMBROIDERED SILK 'DRAGON' ROBE, JIFU
Yongzheng
Meticulously embroidered on the front and back in satin stitch and couched gold threads with nine roundels, each enclosing a five-clawed dragon pursuing a flaming pearl above crashing waves and jagged rocks and amidst wispy clouds and flames, all on a dense ground decorated with trailing clouds interspersed with a profusion of Shou medallions, bats and wan symbols, ruyi and chimes, above the terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe at the hem, all picked out in vibrant shades of blue, yellow, red, coral and green, the matching dark-blue-ground collar and cuffs worked with further dragons amidst further bats, clouds and waves, lined in blue silk.
171cm (67 2/8in) wide x 139cm (54 6/8in) long.
清雍正 明黃緞繡團龍紋吉服袍
Provenance: a distinguished European private collection
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet (1864 - 1921) and thence by descent
來源： 顯赫歐洲私人收藏
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet（1864-1921），並由後人保存迄今
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet, a wealthy French lady, married Lambert Violet in 1899. Lambert was the son of Simon Violet, a prominent wine producer who, in 1873, created Byrrh, a renowned aromatised wine aperitif blending wine with mistelles and botanicals. Initially marketed as a health tonic, Byrrh faced challenges competing with established local aperitif producers. However, the business thrived, growing from a modest operation to one of significant scale.
The business began modestly with just a few small barrels of wine, but as demand grew, so did the size of the wine barrels. Following Simon's passing in 1891, his son Lambert assumed control of the family business and embarked on the construction of vast cathedral-like cellars in Thuir. These cellars housed 70 oak vats with a combined capacity exceeding 15 million litres of wine, making them the largest in the world upon their inauguration in 1892. By 1910, the company boasted 750 employees and distributed over 30 million litres of Byrrh annually. In 1914, Mary assumed leadership of her husband's enterprise and oversaw its significant expansion, a legacy continued by her children Jacques and Simon in 1920. By 1934, Byrrh had emerged as France's premier aperitif brand, with annual sales reaching approximately 35 million litres.
UNVEILING THE LEGACY OF A RARE IMPERIAL ROBE
Benedetta Mottino and Linda Wrigglesworth
Superbly embroidered in Imperial yellow satin silk with nine 'dragon' roundels amidst swirling clouds, bats, and Shou medallions, the present robe is remarkably rare. No identical example seems to exist in public collections, making this garment one of the earliest surviving robes tailored for an Imperial woman, likely an Empress or Empress Dowager.
The present garment closely follows the characteristic style of the semi-formal attire introduced by the Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty at the beginning of their reign. Initially known as 'coloured robes' caifu or 'floral robes' huafu, and after 1759 referred to as 'dragon robes' longpao, these newly-introduced garments featured full-length designs, close-fitting sleeves, horse hoof cuffs, circular neck openings and a distinctive right-fastening overlap on the front.
The closed-up vent at the front and the side openings on the robe indicate that it would have been worn by a female figure, and in accordance with the sartorial protocol of the time, only the Empress or Empress Dowager could wear robes in bright yellow colour; see 'Collected Statutes of the Great Qing, Daqing Huidian, 1690 edition, Taipei, 1992, no.48.1.
The presence of nine 'dragon' roundels reserved on an intricate background, a distinguishing feature among surviving 'dragon' robes, suggests an early 18th-century origin for the present garment. Until 1759, there were no regulations governing the styles and decoration of semi-formal 'dragon robes'. It was only with the 1759 publication of the 'Illustrated Precedents for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court' Huangchao Liqi Tushi (皇朝禮器圖式) by the Qianlong Emperor, that such regulations were introduced. These codes restricted the decoration on dragon robes to just three styles, including a single integrated design featuring nine dragons within the cosmos or eight 'dragon' roundels, with or without the terrestrial diagram and the lishui border. However, surviving Qing robes predating 1759 display a much wider variety of styles and dragons compared to what was specified in the 1759 'Regulations'. See, for example, a late 17th century Qing dynasty robe in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, decorated with more than 30 five-clawed dragons amidst Shou characters, acc.no.30.75.5. Another robe, dated to the Kangxi period, is embroidered with two colossal dragons amidst sixteen smaller ones, in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, illustrated by S.Camman, China's Dragon Robes, new York, 1949, pl.5.
The decorative patterns seen on semi-informal 'dragon' robes produced before 1759 may have just been dictated by the wearer's preferences and the specific occasion for which they were intended. In 1949, Schuyler Camman identified several types and sub-types of semi-formal 'dragon' robes from the early Qing period and acknowledged the possibility of additional variations; see S.Camman, China's Dragon Robes, New York, 1949, pp.35-49. It is thus plausible to speculate that the present robe may represent one such additional type of 'dragon' style that was not documented by Camman in 1949 but has since come to light.
Other indicators point to the early 18th century date, specifically the Yongzheng period, as the likely time of production for this robe. For example, the depiction of the dragons' heads and bodies, the intricate trailing clouds, and the relatively short lishui stripe at the hem, characterised by large ruyi heads and rolling waves executed predominantly in green and blue tones, closely resemble those found on a yellow-ground silk-embroidered festive robe for an Imperial Consort dating to the second quarter of the eighteenth century, in the Mactaggart Collection, Edmonton, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Emblems of the Empire, Edmonton, 2009, p.37, no.2005.5.7. See also a yellow-ground festive robe, Yongzheng, in the Qing Court Collection in Beijing, displaying similar stylistic elements, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Costumes and Accessories of the Qing Court, Shanghai, 2006, n.30.
The embroidered decorative elements on the present robe carry deep symbolic significance. The bats, symbolising happiness, and the Shou characters, representing longevity, strongly suggest that the garment was worn during birthday celebrations. Additionally, the incorporation of waves and mountains at the hem, along with the Shou characters and bats, forms a visual rebus conveying wishes for boundless fortune and eternal life. Undoubtedly, this highly-symbolic message would have come to life vividly as the wearer moved, animating the designs of flying bats, writhing dragons, and undulating waves. Finally, the inclusion of nine five-clawed dragons, iconic symbols of Imperial power, adds another layer of imagery suggestive of eternity. The number nine, revered in Chinese culture as a symbol of Heaven and infinity, gains further significance due to its homophonic relationship with 'timelessness', deepening its symbolic resonance.
The embroidery on the present robe very closely compares with the one making up an Imperial yellow silk Buddhist Priest's robe, Kangxi period, in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, acc.no.42.8.135.
Compare with a related Imperial yellow-ground robe, in the Qing Court Collection in Beijing, acc.no.42565, tailored for the grandmother of the Kangxi Emperor, embroidered with 'dragon' roundels and Shou medallions; see also a yellow-ground robe for an Imperial lady, Qianlong or earlier, also embroidered with bats and Shou, as noted on the present example, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Empresses of China's Forbidden City, 1644-1912, Washington, 2019, p.163, pl.11.
A related Imperial yellow semi-formal robe decorated with dragon roundels, early 18th century, was sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 2019, lot 1655.
Bid on this lot
THE PROPERTY OF A LADY 女士藏品
AN EXTREMELY RARE IMPERIAL YELLOW-GROUND EMBROIDERED SILK 'DRAGON' ROBE, JIFU
Yongzheng
Meticulously embroidered on the front and back in satin stitch and couched gold threads with nine roundels, each enclosing a five-clawed dragon pursuing a flaming pearl above crashing waves and jagged rocks and amidst wispy clouds and flames, all on a dense ground decorated with trailing clouds interspersed with a profusion of Shou medallions, bats and wan symbols, ruyi and chimes, above the terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe at the hem, all picked out in vibrant shades of blue, yellow, red, coral and green, the matching dark-blue-ground collar and cuffs worked with further dragons amidst further bats, clouds and waves, lined in blue silk.
171cm (67 2/8in) wide x 139cm (54 6/8in) long.
清雍正 明黃緞繡團龍紋吉服袍
Provenance: a distinguished European private collection
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet (1864 - 1921) and thence by descent
來源： 顯赫歐洲私人收藏
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet（1864-1921），並由後人保存迄今
Marie Joséphine Eugénie Brégère-Kromer Violet, a wealthy French lady, married Lambert Violet in 1899. Lambert was the son of Simon Violet, a prominent wine producer who, in 1873, created Byrrh, a renowned aromatised wine aperitif blending wine with mistelles and botanicals. Initially marketed as a health tonic, Byrrh faced challenges competing with established local aperitif producers. However, the business thrived, growing from a modest operation to one of significant scale.
The business began modestly with just a few small barrels of wine, but as demand grew, so did the size of the wine barrels. Following Simon's passing in 1891, his son Lambert assumed control of the family business and embarked on the construction of vast cathedral-like cellars in Thuir. These cellars housed 70 oak vats with a combined capacity exceeding 15 million litres of wine, making them the largest in the world upon their inauguration in 1892. By 1910, the company boasted 750 employees and distributed over 30 million litres of Byrrh annually. In 1914, Mary assumed leadership of her husband's enterprise and oversaw its significant expansion, a legacy continued by her children Jacques and Simon in 1920. By 1934, Byrrh had emerged as France's premier aperitif brand, with annual sales reaching approximately 35 million litres.
UNVEILING THE LEGACY OF A RARE IMPERIAL ROBE
Benedetta Mottino and Linda Wrigglesworth
Superbly embroidered in Imperial yellow satin silk with nine 'dragon' roundels amidst swirling clouds, bats, and Shou medallions, the present robe is remarkably rare. No identical example seems to exist in public collections, making this garment one of the earliest surviving robes tailored for an Imperial woman, likely an Empress or Empress Dowager.
The present garment closely follows the characteristic style of the semi-formal attire introduced by the Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty at the beginning of their reign. Initially known as 'coloured robes' caifu or 'floral robes' huafu, and after 1759 referred to as 'dragon robes' longpao, these newly-introduced garments featured full-length designs, close-fitting sleeves, horse hoof cuffs, circular neck openings and a distinctive right-fastening overlap on the front.
The closed-up vent at the front and the side openings on the robe indicate that it would have been worn by a female figure, and in accordance with the sartorial protocol of the time, only the Empress or Empress Dowager could wear robes in bright yellow colour; see 'Collected Statutes of the Great Qing, Daqing Huidian, 1690 edition, Taipei, 1992, no.48.1.
The presence of nine 'dragon' roundels reserved on an intricate background, a distinguishing feature among surviving 'dragon' robes, suggests an early 18th-century origin for the present garment. Until 1759, there were no regulations governing the styles and decoration of semi-formal 'dragon robes'. It was only with the 1759 publication of the 'Illustrated Precedents for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court' Huangchao Liqi Tushi (皇朝禮器圖式) by the Qianlong Emperor, that such regulations were introduced. These codes restricted the decoration on dragon robes to just three styles, including a single integrated design featuring nine dragons within the cosmos or eight 'dragon' roundels, with or without the terrestrial diagram and the lishui border. However, surviving Qing robes predating 1759 display a much wider variety of styles and dragons compared to what was specified in the 1759 'Regulations'. See, for example, a late 17th century Qing dynasty robe in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, decorated with more than 30 five-clawed dragons amidst Shou characters, acc.no.30.75.5. Another robe, dated to the Kangxi period, is embroidered with two colossal dragons amidst sixteen smaller ones, in the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, illustrated by S.Camman, China's Dragon Robes, new York, 1949, pl.5.
The decorative patterns seen on semi-informal 'dragon' robes produced before 1759 may have just been dictated by the wearer's preferences and the specific occasion for which they were intended. In 1949, Schuyler Camman identified several types and sub-types of semi-formal 'dragon' robes from the early Qing period and acknowledged the possibility of additional variations; see S.Camman, China's Dragon Robes, New York, 1949, pp.35-49. It is thus plausible to speculate that the present robe may represent one such additional type of 'dragon' style that was not documented by Camman in 1949 but has since come to light.
Other indicators point to the early 18th century date, specifically the Yongzheng period, as the likely time of production for this robe. For example, the depiction of the dragons' heads and bodies, the intricate trailing clouds, and the relatively short lishui stripe at the hem, characterised by large ruyi heads and rolling waves executed predominantly in green and blue tones, closely resemble those found on a yellow-ground silk-embroidered festive robe for an Imperial Consort dating to the second quarter of the eighteenth century, in the Mactaggart Collection, Edmonton, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Emblems of the Empire, Edmonton, 2009, p.37, no.2005.5.7. See also a yellow-ground festive robe, Yongzheng, in the Qing Court Collection in Beijing, displaying similar stylistic elements, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Costumes and Accessories of the Qing Court, Shanghai, 2006, n.30.
The embroidered decorative elements on the present robe carry deep symbolic significance. The bats, symbolising happiness, and the Shou characters, representing longevity, strongly suggest that the garment was worn during birthday celebrations. Additionally, the incorporation of waves and mountains at the hem, along with the Shou characters and bats, forms a visual rebus conveying wishes for boundless fortune and eternal life. Undoubtedly, this highly-symbolic message would have come to life vividly as the wearer moved, animating the designs of flying bats, writhing dragons, and undulating waves. Finally, the inclusion of nine five-clawed dragons, iconic symbols of Imperial power, adds another layer of imagery suggestive of eternity. The number nine, revered in Chinese culture as a symbol of Heaven and infinity, gains further significance due to its homophonic relationship with 'timelessness', deepening its symbolic resonance.
The embroidery on the present robe very closely compares with the one making up an Imperial yellow silk Buddhist Priest's robe, Kangxi period, in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, acc.no.42.8.135.
Compare with a related Imperial yellow-ground robe, in the Qing Court Collection in Beijing, acc.no.42565, tailored for the grandmother of the Kangxi Emperor, embroidered with 'dragon' roundels and Shou medallions; see also a yellow-ground robe for an Imperial lady, Qianlong or earlier, also embroidered with bats and Shou, as noted on the present example, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Empresses of China's Forbidden City, 1644-1912, Washington, 2019, p.163, pl.11.
A related Imperial yellow semi-formal robe decorated with dragon roundels, early 18th century, was sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 2019, lot 1655.
