Modern West Lake Silk Umbrella with Brushed Pattern of Baoshu Tower Picture 1

Originated in the 1930s, the bamboo-rib and silk-canopy West Lake silk umbrellas, named after the West Lake sceneries on the canopy, has evolved into one of the most important traditional crafts of Hangzhou. West Lake silk umbrellas fall into three categories based on the techniques applied to the decorative patterns on the canopy, namely, brushed-pattern umbrellas, embroidered-motif umbrellas and painted-pattern umbrellas. Among the three “floral-pattern-making” techniques, the brushed-motif-making skill usually adopts themes of West Lake sceneries.
With a black wood ferrule in the shape of the stone pagoda in the well-known scene of the West Lake “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”, this umbrella applied a black georgette canopy which is decorated with brushed patterns of the Baoshu Tower, one of the famous sceneries of the West Lake. The bamboo stretchers of this umbrella are covered with knitted silk threads in blue, white, green and red.