Customer Reviews

Imperial Silks : Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These 2 large and weighty volumes showcase the collection of imperial silks in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The core of the collection was accumulated by William Colby, a San Fransisco attorney, during the 1920s and 1930s. There are 592 items described in these books and each object is generally illustrated on a whole page. More than half of the textiles (normally silk or satin) are shown in high quality color photographs.

There was a strict delineation of the type of clothes worn by different stratas of Chinese society. This is borne out in the Minneapolis collection. A broad range of clothes as well as textiles are on view; robes, surcoats,religious attire, vests, aprons, hats, furniture covers, belts, pictoral hangings etc. Although I am no expert in this field, the vast majority of the items in the Minneapolis collection are attractive, colorful and interesting. Each item is annotated.

This beautiful set of books, luxuriously printed, has given me much pleasure over the years. It would be of great appeal to those interested in Chinese textiles and fabrics in general. Although the price seems expensive, I feel it presents good value.