Theatrical jacket with dragons
Not on view
This impressive ensemble (with 30.76.19) features a striking dragon on the front and large triangle-shaped sleeves. Garments of this sort are often characterized as arhat robes (luohanyi) that would have been worn to play monks in dramas based on Buddhist history. However, no direct evidence confirms this theory. The numerous robes of this type preserved in the Forbidden City in Beijing (and elsewhere) and their varied decoration suggest that this form of dress was used by multiple kinds of actors in large-scale court performances.
On view during Rotation 1 of exhibition from June 25, 2016 through January 13, 2017.
No image available
