Manchu Woman’s Informal Winter Court Robe with Design of Cranes and Butterflies

Culture: Chinese
Dynasty: Qing dynasty, 1644–1911
Period: possibly Guangxu period, 1875–1908
Period: possibly Xuantong period, 1909–1911
Date: early 20th century
Material: Twill-weave silk with polychrome silk embroidery, cuffs trimmed with otter fur
made in: China, Asia
Classification: Costume & clothing, textiles
Collection: Asian Art
Current Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 53 1/2 × 72 in. (135.9 × 182.9 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. F. Russell Fetté in memory of Helen Campbell Fetté
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 259:1986

NOTES

Gilt metal ball-and-loop toggle buttons fasten the top flap of this robe. The sleeves end in deeply flared cuffs trimmed with otter fur. The red twill-weave silk ground is finely embroidered with multicolored floss silk in satin stitch. Eight medallions surround a Manchurian red-crowned crane encircled by butterflies and floral sprays. The neck band, sleeve bands, and cuffs feature smaller medallions containing similar motifs against a black silk ground. The very wide hem has parallel bands of “standing water” (lishui) with auspicious emblems and a slit at either side. The bright purple in the hem bands derives from a synthetic dye known as “Perkin’s purple” that was first imported from England to China in 1871.

Provenance

1936 - 1986
Helen Campbell Fetté (1881–1956), purchased in Peking (Beijing), China; F. Russell Fetté (1916–1998) and Cordelia See Fetté (died 1998), St. Louis, MO, USA, by inheritance [1]

1986 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by F. Russell Fetté and Cordelia Fetté [2]

Notes:
This piece is one of 19 textiles donated by the Fettés (253:1986 - 271:1986). Each textile shares the same provenance.

[1] According to an Internal Revenue Service Form 8283 completed March 17, 1987, the object was purchased in Peking (Beijing), China in 1936. Although F. Russell and Cordelia Fetté completed the form, the object was collected by Russell Fetté's mother, Helen Campbell Fetté, according to the Museum's Accession Record [SLAM document files].

[2] See note [1]. Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, December 18, 1986.

We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.