Chinese Theatrical Costume from the collection of San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

Chinese Theatrical Costume, Late 1800s

Gold metal-wrapped thread, silk

22.5 x 50.5 in (57.15 x 128.27 cm)

Inv: 2000.265.021

This is a Chinese jacket that was made as part of a theater costume. Theater costumes are easily identifiable by their oversized, loose cut and sturdy construction, as well as by their elaborate designs. Costumes would exaggerate the features of everyday attire in order to effectively portray the stereotyped characters that populate classical Chinese opera stories.

This particular jacket features a commonly used design combination of confronting dragons against a cloud design with ocean waves around the hem and cuffs. The entire design is made using couched gold metal-wrapped thread on a black silk ground, with touches of pink and blue embroidered highlights.

Techniques: hand stitched
Culture: Chinese
Geographic Location: East Asia, China
Credit Line: Gift of Yvonne Porcella
This jacket features a commonly used design combination of confronting dragons against a cloud design with ocean waves around the hem and cuffs. The entire design is made using couched gold metal-wrapped thread on black silk, with touches of pink and blue highlights.

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From San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

Yvonne Porcella

Jacket, 1972

Cotton

32 x 27 in (81.28 x 68.58 cm)
Unknown Artist

Hmong (Meo) Skirt, c. 1950

Cotton, hemp cloth

34 x 11.5 in (86.36 x 29.21 cm)
Irene Barrett

Crazy Quilt, 1939

Cotton

82 x 71 in (208.28 x 180.34 cm)
Unknown Artist

Child’s Miyamairi Kimono, c. 1920

Silk

38 x 37 in (96.52 x 93.98 cm)
Bear Paw Quilt, c. 1900

Cotton

74 x 71 in (187.96 x 180.34 cm)
Hole in the Barn Door Quilt, c. 1900

Cotton

87 x 69 in (220.98 x 175.26 cm)
Unknown Artist

Rabbit's Paw Quilt, c. 1900

Cotton

80 x 80 in (203.2 x 203.2 cm)
Unknown Artist

Chinese Silk Embroidered Bedcover, c. 1900

Silk

90 x 69 in (228.6 x 175.26 cm)

View All Artworks

Additional Details

Additional Artworks

Jacket, 1972

Hmong (Meo) Skirt, c. 1950

Crazy Quilt, 1939

Child’s Miyamairi Kimono, c. 1920

Bear Paw Quilt, c. 1900

Hole in the Barn Door Quilt, c. 1900

Rabbit's Paw Quilt, c. 1900

Chinese Silk Embroidered Bedcover, c. 1900