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Source Description
These headpieces are embroidered with butterflies, birds, animals, flowers, leaves, and delicate vine scrolls. In general, the design is related to the theme of the lotus pond, best known from Liao tomb paintings. Paired ducks or geese swimming in water and looking in opposite directions seem to have become popular in the north of China before spreading further south and to Central Asia. On the other hand, recumbent animals looking back are a Central Asian image that migrated to northern China. Headpieces of this shape, intersected by two bands and secured by ties, have a long history in northern China. A gold replica was found in a tomb dating as early as 500–550.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
157588
label
Pair of Headpieces
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
157588
contentType
object
title
Pair of Headpieces
description
These headpieces are embroidered with butterflies, birds, animals, flowers, leaves, and delicate vine scrolls. In general, the design is related to the theme of the lotus pond, best known from Liao tomb paintings. Paired ducks or geese swimming in water and looking in opposite directions seem to have become popular in the north of China before spreading further south and to Central Asia. On the other hand, recumbent animals looking back are a Central Asian image that migrated to northern China. Headpieces of this shape, intersected by two bands and secured by ties, have a long history in northern China. A gold replica was found in a tomb dating as early as 500–550.
date
907–1125
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79974124
genreSpecific
Embroidery
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 22.3 x 53.8 cm (8 3/4 x 21 3/16 in.)
cul
China, Liao dynasty (907-1125)
accession
1995.109
Source extras
tec
embroidery, silk
tombstone
Pair of Headpieces, 907–1125. China, Liao dynasty (907-1125). Embroidery, silk; overall: 22.3 x 53.8 cm (8 3/4 x 21 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Lisbet Holmes, 1995.109
collection
Textiles
citations
citation
Watt, James C. Y, Anne E Wardwell, Anne E Wardwell, Morris Rossabi, Cleveland Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.), Morris Rossabi, Cleveland Museum of Art, and Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.). <em>When Silk Was Gold: Central Asian and Chinese Textiles</em>. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art in cooperation with the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1997.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 180-181, no. 52
citation
Zhao, Feng. "The Chronological Development of Needlelooping Embroidery." <em>Orientations</em> 31, no. 2 (February 2000). Hongkong: Pacific Communications, 1970.
page_number
p. 44-53
citation
Vollmer, John, Thierry Prat, and Richard Sheppard. Silks for Thrones and Altars: Chinese Costumes and Textiles : from the Liao Through the Qing Dynasty. Paris: Myrna Myers, 2003.
page_number
p. 26-7
citation
Kwok, Zoe S. <em>The Eternal Feast: Banqueting in Chinese Art from the 10th to the 14th Century.</em> Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Art Museum, 2019.
page_number
Reproduced: P. 118-119, no. 20
citation
Rosati, Maria Ludovica. Il parato di Benedetto XI: storia di un tesoro. Genova : Fondazione Bruschettini per l'arte islamica e asiatica ; Milano : Dario Cimorelli editore, 2023.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 118; reproduced: p. 115, fig. 17
creditline
Gift of Lisbet Holmes
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:12:04.126000
sourceId
157588
dept
Textiles
coll
Textiles
med
embroidery, silk
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
a94fa909c4aef95d