Cloud Collar
| Type: | For Personal Adornment |
|---|---|
| Object Name: | Cloud Collar |
| Place Made: | Asia: East Asia, China |
| Period: | 19th century |
| Date: | 1800 - 1899 |
| Era: | 19th century Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) |
| Dimensions: | L 29 cm x W 29 cm |
| Materials: | Silk; silk floss; metal thread |
| Techniques: | Embroidered; Peking knot; couched; satin; hand-sewn |
| ID Number: | T86.0697 |
| Credit: | Gift of Fred Braida |
The name “cloud collar” comes from the shape of this collar’s lobes, or petals, which are often layered. Women wore these collars over robes for special occasions. The cloud shapes represent abundance. At one time, the neck opening symbolized the Sky Gate (the entrance to heaven), and the lobes, pointing in four directions, represented the universe in miniature.
