2010.3.22

Collection type

Object

Description

Embroidered Apron, decorated on the back with batik. [FC 02/08/2010]

Long description

Embroidered Apron, decorated on the back with batik. The apron is made from a base cloth of cotton dyed black. The central panel of the apron is undecorated and has been pleated. The top part of this central panel is made from cotton textile dyed purple. The decoration, worked in satin stitch has been applied to the edges of the apron and the front panel of the apron. Down both sides of the front of the apron floral motifs have been embroidered in brightly coloured silk yarn onto a ground textile of green silk. This band of embroidery is approximately 378 mm long and 60 mm wide. AT the very bottom of this band of embroidery on both sides of the apron a rectangular panel of decoration has been embroidered in green and pink cotton yarn on beige ground, approximately 77 mm long and 60 mm wide. The front top panel of the apron has had two areas of satin stitch embroidery with silk yarn applied separated by lengths of cotton textile in blue and pink machine stitched to the apron with white and red cotton yarn. A rectangular panel of embroidery approximately 70 mm wide and 365 mm long has been embroidered with motifs of flowers and birds onto a background of red silk textile. The top panel has been embroidered with a floral motif on a background of green silk textile. The back top panel of the apron has been decorated with flowers and birds in blue and white using batik wax resist. Attached to the back of the apron at each corner of the band of batik decoration is a length of woven cotton textile approximately 16 mm wide. The textile is woven with white, yellow, pink, green, orange and blue stripes and is finished at the end with a pink silk thread tassel. These are ties to secure the apron around the waist. [FC 02/08/2010]

Geographical reference

China

Asia > Eastern Asia > China

Guizhou Province Cizhong village

Cultural groups

Hmong

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Wendy Black

PRM source Wendy Black

Date

Date collected

April 1993

Acquisition information

Donated: 19/01/2010

Materials and processes

Material Silk Yarn Animal, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Textile Plant, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Process Stitched, Process Dyed, Process Woven, Process Embroidered, Process Batik Resist Dyed

Dimensions

Width: max 390 mm, Length: max 718 mm excluding ties

Object numbers

Accession number: 2010.3.22 Other numbers: 46

Research and responses

Richly woven and embroidered costume Identified the Miao as belonging to a particular group and also acted as an indicator of family wealth, as was the wearing of several skirts or layers of aprons or jackets. [FC 02/08/2010]

Search terms: Clothing Textile, Clothing, Apron, Textile