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The robe is embroidered on the back with clouds and paired phoenixes (associated with female members of the imperial family). Single phoenixes and clouds occur at the shoulders. On the front, fragments of another large pair of phoenixes remain. The birds and clouds are set against a scrolling vine pattern embroidered with gold thread, of which only the gold leaf remains. The design was drawn and then embroidered with silk and gold threads on lengths of fabric (gauze backed with silk) before they were cut and seamed. The robe was then lined with silk batting between the layers for warmth. Toward the end of the Liao dynasty, rules for wearing Khitan-style dress (overlapping toward the left) became increasingly relaxed. This may explain the robe's front overlap toward the right, which accords with Chinese custom.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
62858fa5900d7934
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
158153
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "158153",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Woman's Robe",
    "description": "The robe is embroidered on the back with clouds and paired phoenixes (associated with female members of the imperial family). Single phoenixes and clouds occur at the shoulders. On the front, fragments of another large pair of phoenixes remain. The birds and clouds are set against a scrolling vine pattern embroidered with gold thread, of which only the gold leaf remains. The design was drawn and then embroidered with silk and gold threads on lengths of fabric (gauze backed with silk) before they were cut and seamed. The robe was then lined with silk batting between the layers for warmth. Toward the end of the Liao dynasty, rules for wearing Khitan-style dress (overlapping toward the left) became increasingly relaxed. This may explain the robe's front overlap toward the right, which accords with Chinese custom.",
    "date": "907–1125",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.20",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79975913"
    ],
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        "Garment"
    ],
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    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 130 x 177 cm (51 3/16 x 69 11/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Liao dynasty (907-1125)"
    ],
    "accession": "1995.2"
}

Context sent to Scholar

Document identity
{
    "localId": "158153",
    "label": "Woman's Robe",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "158153",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Woman's Robe",
    "description": "The robe is embroidered on the back with clouds and paired phoenixes (associated with female members of the imperial family). Single phoenixes and clouds occur at the shoulders. On the front, fragments of another large pair of phoenixes remain. The birds and clouds are set against a scrolling vine pattern embroidered with gold thread, of which only the gold leaf remains. The design was drawn and then embroidered with silk and gold threads on lengths of fabric (gauze backed with silk) before they were cut and seamed. The robe was then lined with silk batting between the layers for warmth. Toward the end of the Liao dynasty, rules for wearing Khitan-style dress (overlapping toward the left) became increasingly relaxed. This may explain the robe's front overlap toward the right, which accords with Chinese custom.",
    "date": "907–1125",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.20",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79975913"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Garment"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 130 x 177 cm (51 3/16 x 69 11/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Liao dynasty (907-1125)"
    ],
    "accession": "1995.2"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "Silk and gold thread: embroidery on silk gauze ground; silk lining, silk batting",
    "tombstone": "Woman's Robe, 907–1125. China, Liao dynasty (907-1125). Silk and gold thread: embroidery on silk gauze ground; silk lining, silk batting; overall: 130 x 177 cm (51 3/16 x 69 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1995.20",
    "collection": "Textiles",
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Wardell, Anne E., \"Royal Regalia\", Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine</em>. Vol. 35 no. 08, October 1995",
            "page_number": "Mentioned & reproduced: p. 7",
            "url": "https://archive.org/details/CMAMM1995-08/page/6"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Watt, James C. Y., Anne E. Wardwell, and Morris Rossabi. When silk was gold: Central Asian and Chinese textiles. 1997.",
            "page_number": "pp. 176-179, color reproduction, pp. 176, 177; detail reproduction color p. 179"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Shea, Eiren. \"The Spread of Gold Thread Production in the Mongol Period: A Study of Gold Textiles in the China National Silk Museum, Hangzhou.\" J<em>ournal of Song-Yuan Studies</em> 50 (2021).",
            "page_number": "p. 381-415, illus. p. 366-72."
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.20",
    "creditline": "Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-29 08:13:02.289000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 158153,
    "dept": "Textiles",
    "coll": "Textiles",
    "med": "Silk and gold thread: embroidery on silk gauze ground; silk lining, silk batting",
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
{
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    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.20/1995.20_web.jpg",
    "mediaId": "62858fa5900d7934"
}