元 童子戯蓮紋羅|Vertical pendant with boys holding a lotus scroll

Unknown

13th–14th century · Complex gauze with silk and metal thread weft patterning · Asian Art

Remarkable for its large size and fresh colors, this textile was woven with the typical Chinese motif of boys and lotuses. However, details on certain costumes reveal a Mongolian influence. The jackets of the boys seen at top and bottom are fastened on the figures’ left, a style not used in Chinese clothing. The design of the large flower blossom and the color palette also help to date it to the Yuan period, when China was under Mongol rule.

Artist

Unknown

Date

13th–14th century

Medium

Complex gauze with silk and metal thread weft patterning

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Joseph E. Hotung Gift, 1987