The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Semi-formal Court Robe (Jifu)

late 1700s

China, Qing dynasty

(1644-1911), Jiaqing period (1796-1820)
Silk: satin weave; silk and metal thread: embroidery
width across shoulders: 226.1 cm (89 in.); length back of neck to hem: 154.9 cm (61 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1983.32
Location: Not on view

Description

The lavishly embroidered motifs of dragons, clouds, waves, and rocks on this robe form a diagram that symbolizes the universe: the lower horizontal band of waves at the hem represents the oceans that surround the earth, while the prism-shaped rocks emerging from the waves at the sides, front, and back of the coat symbolize the earth. The cloud-filled firmament above the waves shows dragons—symbols of imperial authority. During the Qing dynasty, yellow indicated “imperial” and the color’s use in garments was reserved for the emperor and his consorts. The emperor would have worn this type of court robe at semi-official meetings at court but not when he performed the official state rituals.
  • ?–1983
    (Donald J. Wineman, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1983–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Vollmer, John. In the Presence of the Dragon Throne: Chʻing Dynasty Costume (1644-1911) in the Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum, 1977. p.46, 54
    Cleveland Museum of Art. Images of the Mind. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1987. Reproduced: [p. 4]
    Wilson, J. Keith. "Powerful Form and Potent Symbol: The Dragon in Asia." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 77, no. 8 (1990): 286-323. fig. 24, p. 306, cat. no. 34, p. 321 25161297
    Vollmer, John, Thierry Prat, and Richard Sheppard. Silks for Thrones and Altars: Chinese Costumes and Textiles : from the Liao Through the Qing Dynasty. Paris: Myrna Myers, 2003. no. 25
    Hall, Chris. Power Dressing: Textiles for Rulers and Priests from the Chris Hall Collection. Singapore: Asian Civilisations Museum, 2006. no. 22, p. 142-145
  • The Splendor of Chinese Silk – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 5-August 12, 2018).
    Powerful Form and Potent Symbol: The Dragon in Asia. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 24-November 25, 1990).
    Images of the Mind. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 7-August 30, 1987).
  • {{cite web|title=Semi-formal Court Robe (Jifu)|url=false|author=|year=late 1700s|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1983.32