The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 13, 2025
Woman's Bridal Dress, Tabard
1800s
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
A rank badge applied on the front and back shows that the bride married a man of high official rank.Description
This three-piece bridal dress includes a dragon jacket, pleated skirt, and tabard, a short loose-fitting sleeveless vest. The ensemble reveals the high rank of her husband even though it did not fall under the scope of the Qing Dynasty sumptuary laws.The three-quarter-length sleeveless tabard completes the outfit, with a front closure, open sides secured by cloth bands, and a colorful tasseled fringe around the hem. Dragons, water, and clouds are embroidered on the silk ground.
- ?–2005Elizabeth Wade Sedgwick [1913–2013], Lexington, MA, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art2005–The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- {{cite web|title=Woman's Bridal Dress, Tabard|url=false|author=|year=1800s|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2005.135.3