Altar Frontal with Design of Dragons amidst Multicolored Clouds and Waves with Kui-Dragon Roundels

Culture: Chinese
Dynasty: Qing dynasty, 1644–1911
Period: Qianlong period, 1736–1795
Date: mid- to late 18th century
Material: Silk floss embroidery in counted stitch on silk gauze
made in: China, Asia
Classification: Coverings & hangings, textiles
Collection: Asian Art
Current Location: Not on view
Dimensions: when stretched flat on one plane: 31 × 95 7/8 in. (78.7 × 243.5 cm)
when folded on left and right to cover three sides of a table: 31 in. × 39 5/8 in. × 28 1/4 in. (78.7 × 100.6 × 71.8 cm)
Credit Line: Museum Purchase
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 84:1923

NOTES

This textile has a narrow valance falling over a wide lower section. The bottom portion features three blue-scaled dragons amidst multicolored clouds rising above green waves. The central dragon clasps a flaming pearl representative of spiritual energy, wisdom, prosperity, and power. On the pleated valance above are 11 roundels with kui-dragons in blues and greens on a swastika-fret ground of the same apricot-colored silk floss forming the ground of the lower section. The textile is designed to be wrapped around three sides of a table, with five roundels facing forward and three each on the sides. The white plain-weave gauze ground is completely embroidered with multicolored floss silks in a technique called counted stitch, which is even more time-consuming than silk tapestry (kesi).

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