One of several sales devoted to Asian Art taking place at the Drouot centre in December will be held by Aguttes on December 10. Among the highlights will be this richly-embroidered and well-preserved Vietnamese yellow silk gauze mid-season lady’s robe dated to the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945).
The embroidery in polychrome silks features numerous symbols such as bats (a symbol of happiness) and phoenix (symbol of feminine beauty and elegance) as well as a deep wave border. The robe is inspired in form by those of Ming dynasty China but the techniques of embroidery are Vietnamese.