An Unusual Blue Silk Panel Embroidered with Dragons

18th-19th century, a large panel of likely older Chinese blue silk fabric with dragon robe collar decoration in kesi technique to center of panel featuring two four-claw dragons in above universal mountain peaks and waves below, surrounding this central section are four Japanese three-claw dragons embroidered in striking metallic gold thread, the panel is lined to reverse with pink silk backing, colorful old brocade fabric borders around the entire panel.

Open 62 x 56 in., Folded 16 x 16 x 4 in.

In Japan, Chinese dragon robes were rare and highly prized, and surviving examples are mostly in the form of kesa, a rectangular robe worn by Buddhist monks. Several kesa made from cut-up Chinese silk examples are known to survive, see examples dating to the Edo period in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (19.93.50) and illustrated in Haig and Shelton, Threads of Gold: Chinese Textiles Ming to Ch'ing, p 120-121.

The panel on offer here is unusual because it appears to be a large piece of silk with collar elements from a Chinese court robe, which was later adorned with distinctive Japanese dragons in gold metallic embroidery. The panel is almost square in size and not made of multiple cut up pieces, therefore not intended to be used as kesa. The additional embroidered dragons along the edges were a luxury technqiue in late Edo and early Meiji period Japan, and not something that would have been added to a kesa. Therefore, the purpose of the panel and its history deserve greater reserach attention.

Small tear to center above a dragon's head; some scattered weakening to silk fabric; exterior brocade band with separation and loss to threads from age and handling; old repairs; pink silk backing with some tears and ares of loss and scattered areas of discoloration; later hanging backing panel sewn to top of garment for display.