清 緙絲海屋添籌圖 軸|Mythical realm

Unknown

late 18th century · Silk tapestry (kesi) with sections of hand-painted ink and color · Asian Art

This land of crystalline blue-green mountains, towering palaces, and auspicious cranes lies somewhere beyond the human realm. This mythical scene would have been appropriate to hang for a celebratory occasion, such as birthdays, as the pleasant visions of the immortal realms would have added to the festive atmosphere. Sections of the details were painted rather than woven, a labor- and cost-saving method often employed on tapestries from this period.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 18th century

Medium

Silk tapestry (kesi) with sections of hand-painted ink and color

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Wilton Lloyd-Smith, 1954