Artwork Page for Embroidery from a Cloud Collar: Ocean, Rocks, and Peonies

Details / Information for Embroidery from a Cloud Collar: Ocean, Rocks, and Peonies

Embroidery from a Cloud Collar: Ocean, Rocks, and Peonies

云肩刺繡：海、石，牡丹

1300s

China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) - early Ming dynasty

(1368-1644)
Medium
silk and silver thread, silvered paper; needleloop embroidery
Measurements
Overall: 63.8 x 60 cm (25 1/8 x 23 5/8 in.); Mounted: 69.8 x 67.3 cm (27 1/2 x 26 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1993.10
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Judging from the border on the lower portion, this fragment is most of one lobe of a cloud-collar medallion. Each of the three other original sections would have been embroidered with the same design.

Description

Against a deep blue satin ground, a peony tree emerges from an undulating sea. This embroidery was made using the needle looping technique, in which rows of detached loops are worked over silvered paper, attaching the ground only along the contours of the design. The design is filled with auspicious symbols, including the peony symbolizing wealth and honor, and the rock (shoushi 壽石) symbolizing longevity. There are small Buddhist symbols among the flowers, including the wheel of the law, a pair of conch shells representing the sounds of the Buddha’s teachings, and a swastika, an auspicious symbol signifying good fortune introduced into China from India with Buddhism.
A silk and silver thread embroidery on dark blue features seven red peonies branching from central brown stems. Stylized green waves and jagged rocks form the base. The flowers, outlined in silver with yellow centers, are arranged symmetrically around a large central blossom. Muted green, tan, and blue leaves, interspersed with small scattered symbols like a swastika, fill the background. The composition curves upward, creating a dense floral spray against the deep blue ground.

Embroidery from a Cloud Collar: Ocean, Rocks, and Peonies

1300s

China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) - early Ming dynasty (1368-1644)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

    Update or Correct Artwork Information

    Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

    Report a Website Issue

    Further Questions About This Artwork