Embroidered Panels with Design of the Chinese Characters for “Longevity” and “Good Fortune” 18th-19th century
anonymous
minneapolisinstituteofart
panel, textile
natural stone pattern
toned paper
panel
water colours
pottery
textile
tile art
stoneware
underpainting
wooden texture
watercolour bleed
watercolor
These two embroidered panels from the 18th-19th century, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, are a beautiful example of Chinese textile art. The panels feature intricate, colorful embroidery of Chinese characters signifying "longevity" and "good fortune," which were traditionally displayed in homes to bring prosperity and happiness. The subtle variations in color and texture of the embroidery add depth and visual interest to the panels.
Comments
Each of these six panels features twenty-four Chinese characters, alternating between the characters for “longevity” (壽) and “good fortune” (福). The characters, embroidered in gold thread on a light-blue ground, represent a wide variety of scripts. Some are traditional, while others are less orthodox, including characters whose brushstrokes are formed by stylized bamboo, fish, or birds. These panels—probably from a set of eight or ten panels mounted individually or as a folding screen—would have been used as an auspicious backdrop for a sixtieth birthday celebration. The sixtieth year (called hwangap in Korean), marking one’s survival through a full sexagenary cycle (the twelve-pronged, sixty-year zodiac calendar), receives special commemoration in many cultures within the Chinese cultural sphere, even today.
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