Description
This three-piece bridal dress includes a dragon jacket, a pleated skirt, and a tabard, a short loose-fitting sleeveless vest. The ensemble reveals the high rank of her husband; it did not fall under the scope of the Qing dynasty sumptuary laws.
The woman's bridal trousseau contains a short red coat fastened on the side and wide sleeves. It is decorated with ten dragons and other cosmological motifs commonly found on court dress. The presence of ten dragons indicates that the wife's husband was a high-ranking official.
The woman's bridal trousseau contains a short red coat fastened on the side and wide sleeves. It is decorated with ten dragons and other cosmological motifs commonly found on court dress. The presence of ten dragons indicates that the wife's husband was a high-ranking official.
Provenance
Elizabeth Wade Sedgwick [1913–2013], Lexington, MA, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–2005); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2005–)
Accession Number
2005.135.1
Medium
Silk, gilt-metal thread; embroidery
Dimensions
Overall: 104.2 x 153 cm (41 x 60 1/4 in.)
Classification
Garment
Credit Line
Gift of Elizabeth Wade Sedgwick