Trimming
Qing dynasty(1644–1911), 1850/1900
Medium
White gauze, embroidered strips
Dimensions
63.5 × 5.8 cm (25 × 2 1/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
65176
Art Historical Context
### Trimming, Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) This "Trimming" piece, created by a Han-Chinese artisan between 1850 and 1900, exemplifies the exquisite textile craftsmanship of China's Qing dynasty. Measuring a slender 63.5 × 5.8 cm, it consists of white gauze adorned with embroidered strips, likely intended as a decorative border for garments, furnishings, or ceremonial robes. During the Qing era, under Manchu rule, Han-Chinese artisans preserved and refined traditional embroidery techniques, blending imperial opulence with everyday elegance. Gauze, a lightweight and translucent fabric, was prized f...
About the Artist
Han-Chinese
**Han-Chinese** was the collective attribution given to anonymous artisans of Han Chinese descent who crafted intricate embroidered textiles during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). These makers, active primarily in the late 18th to early 20th centuries, specialized in luxurious garments and furnishings that showcased the pinnacle of Han Chinese needlework traditions. Their early lives and individual ...