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Han Chinese Woman’s Skirt (Qun) or Paired Aprons

1849-1899

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Han Chinese Woman’s Skirt (Qun) or Paired Aprons

1849-1899

Physical Qualities Silk, silk ribbons, silk and metallic-wrapped embroidery threads, cotton waistband and closings, 36 x 82 in. (91.4 x 208.3 cm.)
Credit Line Gift of Orest and Patricia Ranum, Baltimore, in Memory of Douglas H. and Winifred C. Gordon, Jr.
Object Number 2014.163
Han Chinese woman's skirt or paired aprons of multiple panels of various colored silk fabric (damasks?) with monochromatic woven designs [red, blue, lt. green, dark grey-blue, pale orange, pink, white, and gold]. The skirt is composed of two sections or aprons, each with a central front panel in front and back and narrowly pleated sections (godets) at the sides. Applied trims including embroidered bands with blue and white and couched gold designs and applied ribbons with woven patterns. One wide red and one wide coral panel is included on each apron. These each have a small rectangular embroidered ornamental panels with 2 women in a garden on the red ground and an embroidered panel with three scenes on a ground of gold couched thread on the coral colored panel. The aprons are held on the body with wide coarse cotton (hemp?) waistbands equipped with 4 sets of 3 loops and 2 sets of 3 knotted button fasteners (one missing).
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2014; Patricia and Orest Ranum, Baltimore; Mrs. Douglas (Winifred) Gordon, Jr., Baltimore
Garrett, Valery. Chinese Dress From the Qing Dynasty to the Present, Rutland, Vermont: Tuttle Publishing, 2007, p. 99, fig. 188, p. 109, fig. 205.

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