A KESI ‘BUTTERFLIES’ INFORMAL LADY’S ROBE, LATE QING DYNASTY China, 19th century. Finely worked with innumerable fluttering butterflies picked out in vibrant shades of blue, green, red, salmon, and yellow against a midnight blue ground, the matching border and sleeve bands with butterflies amid scrolling vines, leaves, and flowers on a black ground. The second lighter border with stylized butterflies between floral bands. Provenance: Mathias, Drouot, Paris, 25 September 2008, by repute (the invoice is lost). French private collection, acquired from the above. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear, little soiling and creasing, few loose threads. Dimensions: Length 137.5 cm Emblematic of summer, beauty, romance and dreams, butterflies are a homophone with the word 'repeatedly', thus underscoring the wish for many descendants when combined with seed-bearing gourds, such as in the present example. Literature comparison: A related red-ground robe, embroidered with shou medallions and butterflies in multiple shades of blue, is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1970.145. Auction result comparison: Compare with a related red-ground robe at Bonhams London in Fine Chinese Art on 16 May 2019, lot 195, sold for GBP 18,812. 晚清藍地緙絲彩綉百蝶袍 中國，十九世紀。午夜藍地上無數飛舞的蝴蝶，使用充滿活力的藍色、綠色、紅色和黃色等。黑紗上綉纏枝花卉紋，對應蝴蝶。領，袖，大襟邊裝飾對稱蝴蝶衣絛。色彩明快鮮麗，圖案對稱，規矩大方。圖案精緻工巧。 來源：法國私人收藏，據說購於巴黎Mathias, Drouot, 2008年9月25日(發票遺失)。 品相：狀況極佳，磨損小，輕微污跡和起皺，些微絲綫鬆動。 尺寸：長137.5 厘米 拍賣結果比較：一件紅地衣袍見倫敦邦瀚斯Fine Chinese Art 拍場2019年5月16日lot 195, 售價GBP 18,812.