Dragon robe

Court robe, imperial (?), of embroidered blue silk with diaper ground of chartreuse yellow quatrefoil medallions enclosing bats with couble peach and swastikas. Nine 5-clawed dragons in gold. In ground loose cloud froms with tightening heads, long life characters, cranes, and Taoist emblems in shades of blue, green, yellow, violet, and much strong purple. Conventional border with straight, slanting lines; tight clouds, shallow area of rolling waves in which appear jui, swastikas, Buddhist symbols, and coral. Even coral branches worked in purple. Olive green appears in border colors. Below border on sleeve a strip of black silk striped with gold thread in groups of three. Cuffs and collar band of black silk embroidered with body design. Edging of black and gold diaper fret brocade. Embroidered chiefly in satin stitch. Couched work; laid and outline stitch also used. Robe slit front and back and lined with thin, pale blue silk.