Sleeve Band
Unknown Artist
late 19th century
Medium
Silk, metallic thread on silk
Dimensions
27 x 9 1/4 in. (68.58 x 23.50 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Ernest Gilbert Copp, in memory of Miss Ethel G. Tolman, 1959
Accession Number
59.170.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This embroidered sleeve band, created in late 19th-century China during the Qing dynasty, represents the refined textile traditions that adorned traditional garments. Sleeve bands like this one were typically attached to the cuffs of robes, transforming functional clothing into wearable art. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Asian Art collection, the piece was generously donated in 1959 and reflects the period’s emphasis on elegant, nature-inspired decoration. Crafted from silk with metallic thread on a silk ground, the band measures 27 by 9¼ inches and features delicate motifs of bi...