Furniture Cover with Lotus and Dragon Scrolls

18th–19th century

Not on view

This cover for a seating platform (kang) or a large chair seat has a pattern of floral and dragon scrolls that was carefully designed to appear right side up when viewed from any of its four sides. The graphic quality of the design is achieved through differences in the reflectivity of the two surfaces on the face of the velvet. The background is rendered in cut pile, which tends to absorb light, while the pattern consists of uncut loops, which are more reflective. Fairly common in Chinese velvets, this use of cut and uncut areas to delineate the pattern allowed considerable freedom of design but demanded great skill.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Furniture Cover with Lotus and Dragon Scrolls
Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Date: 18th–19th century
Culture: China
Medium: Silk velvet with cut and uncut pile
Dimensions: 48 1/2 x 48 1/2 in. (123.19 x 123.19 cm)
Classification: Textiles-Velvets
Credit Line: Bequest of Florance Waterbury, in memory of her father, John I. Waterbury, 1968
Object Number: 68.149.14
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

In the same medium

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Long Side Table, Wood (huanghuali or Dalbergia odorifera), China — Long Side Table
China
17th–18th century

Couch, Wood (huanghuali, or Dalbergia odorifera), China — Couch
China
17th century

Wardrobe, Wood (Huanghuali, or Dalbergia odoriferal); metal fittings, China — Wardrobe
China
16th century

Side Table, Wood (huanghuali, or Dalbergia odorifera), China — Side Table
China
16th century

Rock in the Form of a Fantastic Mountain, Black Lingbi limestone; wood stand, China — Rock in the Form of a Fantastic Mountain
China
18th–19th century (?)

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.