Lady's Coat
An actor may have worn this coat to perform the role of a woman in Chinese opera. Whether worn on or off stage, this coat, paired with a matching skirt, would have been perfect for a woman to don for formal events and festivals. The separated panel may be one of the outfit’s accessories.
The level of craftsmanship is exceptional relative to other Chinese theater costumes. Talented weavers used the kesi (slit silk) tapestry technique to pack colorful imagery into each of the eight roundels. Because the Chinese words for individual images are pronounced like positive words, these designs carry auspicious meanings. Bats, which symbolize blessings, carry chimes. Chimes signify celebration, and the fish hanging from the jeweled chimes represents prosperity. A robe decorated with this imagery would have blessed the wearer at special occasions.
Nellie B. Hussey, Peiping (modern-day Beijing), China, possibly by November 5, 1931-1937 [1];
Purchased from Nellie B. Hussey by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, in 1937.
NOTES:
[1] In a letter to Langdon Warner dated November 5, 1931, Laurence Sickman mentioned Hussey had agreed to lend a group of objects to the Nelson-Atkins for consideration, including "a marvelous early Ch'ing court coat." It is not confirmed that Sickman was referring to this particular coat, but it is possible. Harvard University Pusey Library, Langdon Warner Personal Archive, HUG 4872.1010, box 12, folder 21, copy in Nelson-Atkins curatorial files.
