Rank Badge with Egret

Period:: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Date:: early 18th century

Culture:: China

Medium:: Silk, feather, and metallic thread embroidery on silk satin

Dimensions:: 12 1/4 x 12 1/4 in. (31.11 x 31.11 cm)

Classification:: Textiles-Embroidered

Credit Line:: Bequest of William Christian Paul, 1929

Accession Number:: 30.75.916

Not on view

The egret corresponds to the sixth civil rank. The bird on this badge has lost most of the long white crest that is an identifying mark of the egret; however, a few white threads still remain near the head. These traces of the crest and the bird's green legs and bill confirm its identity.

The rock on which the egret stands was once embroidered completely with peacock feather thread, now mostly lost. It would have shimmered with iridescence, rivaling the splendor of the gold background.

William Christian Paul , the Bronx, NY (until d. 1929)

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Chinese Textiles," December 8, 1931–January 31, 1932.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Chinese Textiles," August 6, 2008–February 8, 2009.

Timelines
Central and North Asia, 1600–1800 A.D.
China, 1600–1800 A.D.