A RARE CHINESE IMPERIAL MIDNIGHT-BLUE SILK FORMAL ROBE, CHAOPAO

MID-19TH CENTURY

Embroidered in satin stitch and Peking knot, the upper half with four five-clawed dragons, each with a flaming pearl of wisdom amongst Buddhist emblems, bats, flowers and clouds, the narrow waist band with confronting dragons, the pleated skirt with thirteen dragon roundels above a wider band of confronting dragons with flaming pearls, divided by a central qin and waves crashing upon rocks, all reserved on a deep blue ground and bordered by gilt brocade, 208cm across.

Provenance: from the collection of Dr Richard Wolfendale L.R.C.P. and S. (Edin.)(1866-1921), and thence by family descent.

Cf. Y Li & Y Li, Embroideries of Ming and Qing Dynasties, p.145, no.YZ026 for a related robe; see also Christie's Hong Kong, The Imperial Sale, Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 28th May 2014, lot 3349.

Dr Wolfendale travelled to China in 1896 with the London Missionary Society, having qualified in Edinburgh as a Medical Missionary. He was appointed to the hospital in Chongqing (Chungking), where he was known as Dr Fan I Sen. He spoke fluent Chinese, and was a respected physician. In 1910 he transferred to the Canadian Missionary Society to continue his work, including rebuilding hospital buildings in Luzhou (Luchow) in 1915, and treating wounded soldiers from both sides during fighting between Yunnan and Sichuan (Szechuan) forces. Dr and Mrs Wolfendale were presented this robe as a gift in 1914 when he left Chongqing, in gratitude for his service which would eventually span a twenty-five year period.