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Source Description
This pair of ornaments (with Walters 86.14) and headdress (Walters 86.3) were likely once worn by the empress dowager, the effective ruler of China during the later years of the Qing Dynasty. It is an exquisite example of Chinese decoration and the symbolism used to express one's rank. The small phoenixes emerging from the surface represent the empress, while the myriad of pearls and gemstones mark this piece as something special for the adornment of the highest ranking woman in Chinese society. The brilliant blue feathers of the kingfisher give these accessories an eye-catching quality that anyone interested in being recognized would certainly embrace.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
38321
label
Hair Ornament
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
38321
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Hair Ornament
description
This pair of ornaments (with Walters 86.14) and headdress (Walters 86.3) were likely once worn by the empress dowager, the effective ruler of China during the later years of the Qing Dynasty. It is an exquisite example of Chinese decoration and the symbolism used to express one's rank. The small phoenixes emerging from the surface represent the empress, while the myriad of pearls and gemstones mark this piece as something special for the adornment of the highest ranking woman in Chinese society. The brilliant blue feathers of the kingfisher give these accessories an eye-catching quality that anyone interested in being recognized would certainly embrace.
provenance
Auguste F. Chamot [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1907 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
19th century
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Textiles
hair ornaments
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
14.2
height
12.8
depth
2.5
dimensionsRaw
H with stem: 5 9/16 × W: 5 1/16 × D: 1 in. (14.2 × 12.8 × 2.5 cm)
Source extras
cul
Chinese
RelatedObjects
24285
38193
med
gilded silver, silk thread, kingfisher feathers, pearls, glass beads, rubies
creator_ids
6238
collection_ids
CHN
JWL
exhibition_ids
1954
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
b2497d10041c0e94