A RARE IMPERIAL 'DRAGON' KESI TEXTILE MING DYNASTY, WANLI PERIOD

colourfully woven with a golden four-clawed dragon striding above turbulent waves floating with auspicious emblems, amidst wispy clouds, all below a band of irregular multi-coloured stripes at the top, and reserved on a bright blue silk ground

The Steinhardt Collection, New York.
The Textile Gallery, London, 2007.

The overall condition is very good. The colours are especially bright and well preserved. There is only a 2 cm x 2cm hole area of loss on the edge on the lower right corner in the black area. There is a tiny bit of light staining to the green area of the waves (just above the hole), and a little light soiling to the center near the two claws. The textile has been framed under glass.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This vibrant and playfully rendered scene is an excellent example of kesi embroidery. Kesi is a type of silk tapestry which entails the intricate handweaving of decorative designs and brocades, sacred iconography or calligraphy often employed for the production of imperial textiles. Compare two similar panels but of smaller vertical format, from the collection of Carl Schuster in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, included in the exhibition Chinese Silk Tapestry: K'o-ssu, China House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat. no. 17; and a panel depicting a qilin sold in our New York rooms, 27^th March 2003, lot 97. For a later more elaborate version of two dragons on a blue-ground amidst clouds, see one sold in our London rooms, 14^th May 2008, lot 679.