Scholar’s Robe and Hat, Young Man’s Chinese Opera Costume

Scholar’s Robe and Hat, Young Man’s Chinese Opera Costume

early 20th century
Country
China
Object
costume, opera, hat, opera
Medium
Silk and metal thread embroidery on silk
Accession Number
1969.26A-B
Credit Line
Neusteter Textile Collection: Gift of the estate of Hubert W. Keith

Scholar’s Robe and Hat, Young Man’s Chinese Opera Costume, China, early 1900s. Silk and metal thread embroidery on silk. Neusteter Textile Collection at the Denver Art Museum: Gift of the estate of Hubert W. Keith, 1969.26A-B.

Department
Avenir Institute of Textile Arts and Fashion
Collection
Textile Arts and Fashion-Asian
Because costumes were typically seen from a distance, their decorative motifs had to be legible and immediately recognizable. These bold blossoms identified the wearer of this informal robe as a scholar. The plum blossom of spring complemented by the chrysanthemum of autumn. The peony, a flower representing wealth and rank, is balanced by bamboo, which signifies integrity or peace.
Known Provenance
Hubert W. Keith estate (Denver, CO); Gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 1969
Exhibition History
  • "Threads of Heaven: Silken Legacy of China's Last Dynasty," October 30, 2011 - January 29, 2012 (DAM)
  • "Threads of Heaven: Silken Legacy of China's Last Dynasty," Februrary 7 - May 18, 2014 (Taft Museum, Cincinnati, OH)