68. PINK EMBROIDERED SILK DRESS, CHANGYI Late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) AN EMBROIDERED PINK SATIN MANCHU WOMAN'S UNOFFICIAL INFORMAL ROBE, CHANGYI Late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Finely embroidered in satin stitch on the front and back panels with large colourful butterflies amidst scattered sprays of flowers on a vibrant pink ground, within a black satin border of similar colourful butterflies alternating with floral sprays, bordered in ribbon woven with chrysanthemum flowers, repeated at the collar, the pattern repeated on the cuffs, lined in a vivid yellow silk. 186 cm (73 1/4 in) wide across sleeves PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT GERMAN COLLECTION 德國重要私人珍藏 清晚期 粉紅緞綉花蝶紋氅衣 Provenance: Collected in China between 1894 and 1922, thence in the family by descent to the present owners 來源 於1894至1922年間得自中國，後經家族流傳至今 The decoration on this vibrantly coloured robe is replete with auspicious symbolism illustrating the fashion for bright colours and auspicious design followed by young Manchu noblewomen associated with the court of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908). The blossoming sprigs of prunus are symbolic of fortitude and resilience as the prunus tree flowers in the depth of winter, as well as longevity. Butterflies, die allude to a long life as they are a homonym for a septuagenarian or octogenarian. Compare with a similarly decorated red silk robe in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession no. 1970.145.