CHINE, MILIEU DE LA DYNASTIE QING (1644-1911)

Luxurious silk velvet covers, such as the one depicted here, are exceedingly rare and were woven exclusively in limited quantities for the imperial court. These textiles were meticulously crafted in workshops located in Fujian and Jiangsu Provinces. The large textile comprises three intricately woven silk-velvet panels that are seamlessly joined together, likely intended to adorn significant furniture pieces, such as a kang. For comparison, consider a similar late 18th-century silk velvet cover from the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. This piece features gold metal-wrapped thread woven into an orange blossoming lotus design against a navy ground, as illustrated by R. Jacobsen in Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Minneapolis, 2002, vol. 2, pp. 1094, cat. no. 543). Additionally, a honey-ground silk velvet carpet from the late 17th to early 18th century, with a lotus design, can be found in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. This piece is illustrated by J. Vollmer in Clothed to Rule the Universe: Ming to Qing Dynasty Textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, 2000, pl. 30, pp. 47).