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Cultural Context

utilitarian;household

Iconographic Meaning

Rosettes; good omen. Swastika; supreme good luck. Chrysanthemums; autumn, laughter, life of ease. Lozenge; one of eight treasures. Peony; spring, love, affection. Phoenix; immortality, female element. Lotus; summer, fruitfulness.

Description

Plain grey valance with blue embroidered design; three medallions separated by vases; triangular designs at lower corners. Medallion on PR: stylized divided fruit encloses straight edge form, centre segmental figure, three legged base , leaf and tendril motif surrounds. Middle medallion: peony with phoenixes at upper left and right, sprig and tendril motif completes circular form. Medallion at PL: bat at top over two fruit and stylized form surrounded by leaf, tendril, geometric motifs. Vases have straight sides, narrow necks, three legged bases, against beribboned lozenge; contains chrysanthemums. Corner designs have lotus, swastika, leaf, tendril. Embroidered border on all three sides has stylized fruit, floral, leaf over continuous series of tassels. Rosettes distributed throughout. Ends hemmed.

History Of Use

Blue and white embroideries are part of a long domestic tradition. Designs vary geographically but are constant within generations of families except for minor individual variations. Often used to decorate the bed which traditionally played a focal part in household ritual particularly at the new year when all household spirits were honored. They are family made, by women, and family owned. These embroideries were of no local commercial value.