Modern West Lake Silk Umbrella with Ink Landscape Painting 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 painted-pattern-making one applies the skills as well as frequently-used themes in traditional Chinese painting to the embellishment of umbrellas.
Featuring the stone pagoda in the famous West Lake scenery of “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” on its white wood ferrule, this umbrella adopted a white georgette canopy which is covered with ink landscape paintings. Its stretchers are embellished with colored silk threads in white, red, yellow and blue.