A Chinese imperial blue ground five-symbol silk gauze 'dragon robe', mangpao

拍品描述

A Chinese imperial blue ground five-symbol silk gauze 'dragon robe', mangpao Qing dynasty, Jiaqing/Daoguang period Finely woven in blue silk gauze and embroidered to the front and back in couched gold and silver thread, and counted cross-stitch (chuo sha xiu), with nine five-clawed dragons clutching or courting flaming pearls amidst ruyi clouds and Buddhist auspicious symbols above a band of lishui. The five symbols are arranged in groups: the sun, moon, and two symbols of constellation around the collar; the axe and fu symbol to each side of the front facing dragon to the centre. Sleeve extensions in deep blue colour with obscure dragon roundels terminating in couched gold thread dragons, the lower sections of the sleeves lined with gauze woven with ruyi-clouds in blue ground (yuebai), 137cm long, 203cm arm length. Provenance: The Nan Brake Collection, and thence by descent within the family. 清嘉慶/道光 御製藍地戳紗繡五章龍紋蟒袍 来源： Nan Brake藏品，后传承至家族后人。 cf. The five symbols are arranged as follow: on the upper front are embroidered fu (黼, axe-shaped, symbolizing strength and decisiveness, implying the ability to act with firm judgment), and fu (黻 two mirrored ji, 己, characters, symbolizing the discernment of right and wrong and the rejection of evil in favor of good). On the upper back are constellation, while the shoulders are decorated with the sun and moon motifs executed in satin stitch (the rooster represents the sun, and the rabbit represents the moon; together with the stars, they signify the “Three Luminaries shining,” symbolizing the vast and radiant grace of the emperor illuminating all under heaven with uprightness and clarity). The lower section features the “Eight Treasures” above lishui, which together with the other motifs convey the auspicious meaning of “unifying the realm and ensuring everlasting peace and prosperity.” Based on the position of the buttons, length, and structure of the front opening compared with examples in the Palace Museum in Beijing, it is inferred to be a man’s robe, and possibly made specifically for member of the emperor's family to wear when attending summer ceremonial. 五章紋位置為上幅正面繡黼（黼為斧，象徵果斷，寓意做事當機立斷。）、黻（黻為兩個「己」字相背，象徵辨別是非、背惡向善。），后上背部繡星辰，肩部以平針繡繡日，月章紋（公雞代表太陽，兔子代表月亮，日，月，星辰寓意為「三光照耀」，象徵皇恩浩蕩，普照四方，光明磊落）。下幅八寶立水與以上紋飾共同構成寓意「一統山河、萬世升平」。 以鈕扣位置，衣襟長短與北京故宮藏品比對，推測為男子夏季慶典袍服。

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