172
A LARGE POSSIBLY IMPERIAL SILK AND GOLD EMBROIDERY, China, Qing dynasty, 18th century
h cm 280 x l cm 106
Embroidered on silk satin of large dimensions, it is finely stitched with silk and metallic thread (gold foil) using satin stitch, full stitch, and laid stitch. The subject falls into the classic category of "flowers and birds" (huaniao), where the protagonist of the scene, also due to the size with which it is represented, is a phoenix (fenghuang). Perched on a large curved branch that centrally occupies the scene, in Chinese symbolism, the bird alludes to the empress.
Catalog notes:
The symbolism of the representation with the phoenix, queen of the birds, standing with its beak open while singing and the sun as the background of the scene, alludes to the auspicious phrase "all is well in the world" (tianxia taiping): the phoenix symbolizes everything under the sky (tianxia) while the sun (taiyang) becomes allusive to "great peace" (taiping).
清 粤绣花鸟五伦图
Catalog notes:
The symbolism of the representation with the phoenix, queen of the birds, standing with its beak open while singing and the sun as the background of the scene, alludes to the auspicious phrase "all is well in the world" (tianxia taiping): the phoenix symbolizes everything under the sky (tianxia) while the sun (taiyang) becomes allusive to "great peace" (taiping).
清 粤绣花鸟五伦图