Modern West Lake Silk Umbrella with the Hundred Children Painting Picture 2

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 such as figures, birds and flowers to the embellishment of umbrellas.
With a purple wood ferrule in the shape of the stone pagoda in the famous West Lake scenery “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”, this umbrella adopted a purple georgette canopy on which there are painted children in various scenes, some throwing a stone at a big pot, while some others playing kites or hide-and-see. Its bamboo stretchers are covered with silk knit in red, yellow and blue threads. The archetype won the “Hundred Flower Award” of Chinese arts and crafts in 1990.