V&A T.184-1948, Embroidery on gauze-banded plain weave silk robe, China (late 17th century-18th century)
Artifact Information
The robe is made of gauze-banded plain weave silk with embroidery. This robe is a woman's garment that may be the earliest non-ecclesiastical Chinese garment in the Museum. The grand is a rich red silk that has horizontal bands of fruiting pomegranates (symbolizing a woman with many kids) in gauze weave running across the fabric at widely spaced intervals. Over this, there is shiny embroidered decoration of fruits, flowers, birds and mythical beasts [1].
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK T.184-1948
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London, detail of the robe
Summary of results
Analytical results by Jing Han [2]
Traditionally used Chinese dyes, pagoda tree buds, turmeric and safflower had been identified as the dyeing sources of this Chinese woman's robe [2].
HPLC profile
Absorbance at 350nm (mAU), one yellow thread was probably dyed with pagoda tree buds analyzed by X. Zhang
Identified compounds
References
[1] https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72026/robe-unknown/ [2]