Footnotes

十八/十九世紀 石青色緞繡彩雲金龍紋朝褂

Provenance: an Australian private collection

來源：澳大利亞私人收藏

The present Court vest chaogua belongs to the most formal category of Imperial wear at the Qing Court known as chaofu or ritual wear. Although the origin of chaogua may be traced back to the informal sleeveless dragon-decorated vests worn at the Ming dynasty Court, it was only around mid-18th century that specific rules were introduced and reinforced to attribute different types of clothing to specific Imperial ranks.

According to Huangchao Liqi Tushi (皇朝禮器圖示), the Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Present Dynasty compiled by the Imperial order of the Qianlong Emperor and completed in 1759, the present robe was likely worn by a Royal Princess. The design of four dragons at the front and three at the back aligns with the description for chaogua worn by fujin (royal princess). The original text states:

'皇子福晉朝褂色用石青片金緣繡文前行龍四後行三領後垂金黃條雜飾惟宜下至郡王福晉縣主皆同。'

Which may be translated as:

'The prince consort's robe is blue ground embroidered in gold threads with four dragons at the front and three dragons at the back, gold thread decorations behind the collar, this design is appropriate for the wives and daughters of lower ranking princes as well.'

There are two other types of chaogua representing different ranks: the one for Empress Dowager, Empress and huangguifei with two large profile five-clawed dragons on the front and back; the other type worn by all ranks of women including the wives of nobles not related to the Imperial clan and the wives of other high officials featured four-clawed dragons.

The style of the design is comparable to other 18th century examples of chaogua. Compare with a similar robe, 18th century, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (acc.no.871-1901). Another similar example of a Court vest on yellow-ground was sold at Bonhams Paris, 13 December 2023, lot 32. See also a related midnight blue ground vest, 19th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 17-18 March 2016, lot 1381.