A Chinese red silk embroidered bed-cover for the Dutch market

Guangdong or Macao, mid 18th century

The red silk cover, one one side elaborately embroided in coloured silk and gilt-paper-wrapped thread, with a central medaillion with Phoenix, surrounded by various equestrian figures, hunters, European figures, dogs, cranes, foliage and all kinds of heavenly creatures.

 

240 x 210 cm

 

Note:

This bed cover for the European market incorporates a mixture of Chinese and European decorative motifs. It is decorated with hunting scenes of noblemen, squires, horsemen, hunters a noblewoman with attendant, all dressed in the European fashion of the first half of the 18th century, besides exotic birds, cranes, phoenixes and butterflies. In the center and repeated in the four corners are phoenixes with spread wings.