Qing dynasty

Changyi with Butterflies on a Blue Ground

清代蓝地蝶纹氅衣

The changyi is an informal robe worn by women of the Qing court and elite, slit at both sides to the underarm and finished with multiple applied bands at cuff and closure. Butterflies are scattered across the whole ground in varied attitudes; through a pun the butterfly also carries the sense of longevity, and it is a favourite subject on informal court dress.

Object Details

Dynasty: Qing dynasty
Period: To be added
Date: To be added
Object type: Changyi (informal woman’s robe)
Material: Silk
Technique: Embroidery
Dimensions: To be added
Collection: To be added

Related Motifs

Butterfly

Details

Research Notes

Wings edged with dense short couching stitches and filled without the reserved “water paths” between areas are specific features of the Beijing style, and can be set against the Suzhou and Sichuan treatments of the same subject.