Chinese
Pair of Medallions for a Ceremonial Coat or Jacket, 19th century
Silk satin embroidered with couched purple silk, silver, and gilt thread
This pair of identical medallions is made of couched dark purple silk and is intricately decorated with embroidery of silver and gilt silk satin yarns. The design is an East Asian depiction of a dragon and clouds in distinctive wave-like swirls. At the bottom is a series of layered lines that look like hills. Above that he dragon undulates up the center and its tongue protrudes from its open mouth. The swirling clouds surround the dragon on all other sides. There is a circular Chinese character at the top center.
Little Salon
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.