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Source Description
This bride's robe is exquisitely embroidered with various symbols of happiness in colorful silk threads. Butterflies stand for marital happiness; the phoenix, numerous offspring; and lotus flowers and white cranes, longevity. Yet, the bridal robe does not attest to the life of luxury. To the contrary, many traces of repairs, trimmings, and patchwork reflect Joseon period women’s commitment to value neo-Confucian aesthetics of frugality and modesty. <br><br>Substantial repairs and patching reveal that this robe served as an important communal resource to be shared and passed down through several generations. Its collar and sleeves are covered in thick white paper; this paper is replaced with new paper for each bride, while the robe itself was reused for decades.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
98875
label
Bridal Robe (Hwarot)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
98875
contentType
object
title
Bridal Robe (Hwarot)
description
This bride's robe is exquisitely embroidered with various symbols of happiness in colorful silk threads. Butterflies stand for marital happiness; the phoenix, numerous offspring; and lotus flowers and white cranes, longevity. Yet, the bridal robe does not attest to the life of luxury. To the contrary, many traces of repairs, trimmings, and patchwork reflect Joseon period women’s commitment to value neo-Confucian aesthetics of frugality and modesty. <br><br>Substantial repairs and patching reveal that this robe served as an important communal resource to be shared and passed down through several generations. Its collar and sleeves are covered in thick white paper; this paper is replaced with new paper for each bride, while the robe itself was reused for decades.
date
1700s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79485862
genreSpecific
Garment
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 118.1 x 179.7 cm (46 1/2 x 70 3/4 in.)
cul
Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
accession
1918.55
Source extras
tec
Satin weave silk; silk embroidery; paper edging on neck and sleeves
tombstone
Bridal Robe (Hwarot), 1700s. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Satin weave silk; silk embroidery; paper edging on neck and sleeves; overall: 118.1 x 179.7 cm (46 1/2 x 70 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Worcester R. Warner Collection, 1918.550
collection
Textiles
inscriptions
inscription
[二姓]之合 / [百]福之源
inscription_translation
"The union of the two sexes is the source of all happiness."
inscription_remark
This standard auspicious inscription was embroidered on fabric to the left and right of the collar. The characters in the brackets are obscured by fabric that was later added to repair the robe.
sortorder
1
didYouKnow
This bride's robe was not made for one specific bride, but rather was shared and passed down to many brides.
citations
citation
Suh, Kisook. <em>The Documentary Value of Repairs to the Hwarot, the Korean Bridal Robe</em>. DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 2006. .
page_number
p. 79-87
citation
<em>Artistic Court Embroidery</em> [아름다운 궁중자수]. Seoul: National Palace Museum. 2013.
citation
Kwon, Hea-jin and Ji-yeon Kim. “Study on the Formative Characteristics of Embroidery Panels of Hwarot at the Victoria and Albert Museum [빅토리아 앨버트 박물관 소장 활옷의 조형성 연구].” <em>Boksik </em>(2013): 176-188.
citation
O, Suk-gyeong and Hong Na-young. “The Usage of Paper in the Costumes of the Joseon Dynasty [조선시대 복식에 사용된 종이심에 관한 연구].” <em>Boksik</em> (2015): 75-91.
citation
McCormick, Sooa Im. "The Past and Present of the Korean Collection in the Cleveland Museum of Art." In <em>The Korean Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Ch'a, Mi-rae, Kwi-suk An, Cleveland Museum of Art, 국외소재문화재재단, and An Min-hŭi, ed., 22-37. First edition, English ed. Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Series, 16. Seoul, Republic of Korea: Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2021.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 23-24, fig. 8
citation
Ch'a, Mi-rae, Kwi-suk An, Cleveland Museum of Art, and 국외소재문화재재단. <em>The Korean Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Edited by An Min-hŭi. First edition, English ed. Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Series, 16. Seoul, Republic of Korea: Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2021.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: p. 244-245, no. 136
creditline
The Worcester R. Warner Collection
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:20:33.737000
sourceId
98875
dept
Textiles
coll
Textiles
med
Satin weave silk; silk embroidery; paper edging on neck and sleeves
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
86ea9495ba54e65f