THE SIMON CHANG COLLECTION – A very rare Imperial Chinese women’s summer longpao dragon robe, possibly made for an empress or dowager empress of the Qing dynasty, the robe finely and intricately woven in satin stitch in shades of blues, greens, and reds with metallic gold and silver threading on the front, back and inside front panels, showing nine five-clawed Imperial dragons encircling flaming pearls confined to roundels with clusters of lingzhi-shaped clouds scrolls, set on a bright Imperial yellow ground, with dark blue-ground collar, sleeve bands and matixiu (horse hoof) shaped cuffs decorated with further complimentary dragons, clouds and symbols done in similar coloured and gold threading, 19th century. This rare robe would have been worn in the summer months, and accords closely to the third style as described by the Qianlong Emperor in the 1759 Illustrated Precedents of the Present Dynasty, which states this type of dragon robe was worn only by empresses and dowager empresses, with a key feature being the absence of the lishui stripe at the hem and the Imperial dragons in roundels. See a similar robe sold at Kerry Taylor Auctions London, 21 June 2023, lot 557.

Condition statement – possible newer alterations made to the robe.

Literature and Examples – Chinese Dress by Verity Wilson, Victoria and Albert Museum, London 1986, pgs 44 – 45, a similar robe in the third style and dated to the end of the 18th century at the Mactaggart Art Collection University of Alberta, accession number 2005.5.9.