A GOLD-EMBROIDERED BLUE-GROUND SEMIFORMAL NINE-DRAGON ROBE, JIFU, JIAQING PERIOD
China, 1796-1820. Finely embroidered in couched gold threads with the prescribed nine writhing five-clawed dragons chasing flaming pearls amid ruyi-shaped cloud clusters interspersed by baskets with flowers and fruit, flying bats, stylized shou characters, and auspicious attributes of the Eight Immortals (anbaxian), all above embroidered 'Mountains of Immortality', dragons, coral, and lingzhi emerging from a roiling sea, a continuous panel of gold lishui stripes at the lower section of the robe, repeated at the sleeves.


Provenance:
From the Norma Canelas and Bill Roth Collection. Norma Canelas Roth (1944-2022) was a celebrated art collector, patron, and benefactor. An accomplished painter herself, Norma had a gift for anticipating rising artists and overlooked art genres. Norma found inspiration from the arts of other cultures and began collecting Chinese, Japanese, Central Asian, African, and other works of art. She and her husband Bill were well received in the vibrant New York art world of the 1970s. They became patrons of the Pattern and Decoration movement, which New York Times art critic Holland Cotter called “the last genuine art movement of the 20th Century”. Norma and Bill gifted important works of art from their collection to museums including the Orlando Museum of Art and the Polk Museum of Art.

Condition
: Superb condition with minor only wear and little soiling, few loose threads.

Dimensions: Length 137 cm, Width 210 cm (across sleeves)

The black-ground collar similarly decorated with dragons, the gold-striped sleeve extensions tapering to horse-hoof cuffs also with dragons. With five original gilt-metal buttons.


The attributes of the eight Immortals
(anbaxian) symbolize Daoism, transmutation, and happiness. Each of the symbols is the attribute of one of the Eight Immortals. They include the double gourd of Li Tieguai, containing all medicines; the fan of Zhongli Quan, resurrecting the dead; the flower basket of Lan Caihe, the patron of florists and a symbol of delusive pleasure; the bamboo rod of Zhang Guo, representing old age and longevity; the lotus of He Ziangu; the sword of Lu Dongbin, ridding the world of all evil; the flute of Han Xiangsi, an emblem of harmony; and the castanets of Cao Guojiu, the patron saint of theater actors.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 21 March 2018, lot 615
Price: USD 16,250 or approx.
EUR 18,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A blue embroidered ‘dragon’ robe (jifu), Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related embroidering of couched gold threads on a blue ground with similar dragon and lishui decoration. Note the size (142.6 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 23 March 2019, lot 1627
Price: USD 17,500 or approx.
EUR 19,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A blue embroidered ‘dragon’ robe, jifu, Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related embroidering of couched gold threads on a blue ground with similar dragon and lishui decoration. Note the trellis ground and the size (143.6 cm).




嘉慶朝藍地金線九龍紋吉服

中國，1796-1820年。藍地龍袍，大襟右衽、馬蹄袖，金線繡有九條蜿蜒五爪龍雲中戲珠，中間點綴著吉祥花果與百福紋、壽字紋以及神獸的吉祥紋。下擺部分金線海水江崖紋，與袖子局部相同。整體華麗奪目。


來源：
Norma Canelas 與Bill Roth收藏。 Norma Canelas Roth（1944-2022 年）是一位著名的藝術收藏家、贊助人和捐助者。Norma本人就是一位頗有成就的畫家，她具有預見新興藝術家和發現被忽視的藝術流派的天賦。Norma從其他文化的藝術中找到了靈感，也因此開始收集中國、日本、中亞、非洲和其他藝術作品。她和她的丈夫Bill在上世紀七十年代充滿活力的紐約藝術界廣受好評。他們成為圖案與裝飾運動的讚助人，《紐約時報》藝術評論家 Holland Cotter 稱之為“二十世紀最後一場真正的藝術運動”。Norma和Bill將他們收藏的重要藝術品贈送給奧蘭多藝術博物館和波爾克藝術博物館等博物館。

品相：
狀況極佳，僅有輕微磨損，輕微污垢與鬆脫的線頭。

尺寸：長137 厘米, 寬210 厘米 (兩袖之間)

黑地衣領同樣飾有龍紋。五個原裝鎏金鈕。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2018年3月21日，lot 615
價格：USD 16,250（相當於今日
EUR 18,000
）
描述：清嘉慶藍緞金線繡雲龍紋吉服
專家評論：比較非常相近的藍底塗金線繡，類似龍和立水的裝飾。請注意尺寸(142.6 厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年3月23日，lot 1627
價格：USD 17,500（相當於今日
EUR 19,000
）
描述：清嘉慶藍緞繡暗八仙雲龍紋吉服
專家評論：比較非常相近的藍底塗金線繡，類似龍和立水的裝飾。請注意格子地面和尺寸(143.6 厘米)。