Dragon robe for a woman, embroidered silk with fur lining, China, Qing dynasty, 18th century. Front

Winter Dragon Robe for a woman, made of pale yellow silk, embroidered with gold and silver thread and coloured floss silks. The robe is lined with fur, grey squirrel (hui shu) and ermine (yin shu). Embroidered with five-clawed dragons in pursuit of flaming jewels among scrolled clouds; in the intervals are characters for shou (longevity), flying bats and the eight Buddhist felicitous symbols (Pa chi-hsiang). The lower border is covered with diagonal lines or 'standing water' culminating in sea-waves on which symbolic objects are floating. The collar and sleeves are enriched by narrow bands of embroidery with dragons on a dark blue ground.