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
This pair of embroidered panels, dating from the 18th-19th century, are a beautiful example of Chinese textile art. The panels are adorned with a dense array of meticulously embroidered Chinese characters, representing "longevity" and "good fortune." The use of gold thread against a soft blue background creates a visually rich and auspicious composition. These panels would have been displayed in a home or temple, serving as a symbol of good luck and a reminder of the enduring values of prosperity and well-being in Chinese culture.
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.
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
CollectMore like this
