Han-style Apron Skirt

Han-style Apron Skirt, China, 20th century, made of red silk woven with floral roundels on a fret ground, the front and back panels embroidered in Peking knot stitch with a central vase surrounded by Buddhist emblems and peonies, the pleats embellished with butterflies and auspicious flowers, all above a lishui border, the cream silk trimmings embroidered with birds and butterflies flying amidst blossoms. Provenance: From the estate of Richard Young, Van Hornesville, New York. This collection originally belonged to his stepmother, Louise Powis Brown Young, who had amassed the textiles during the first quarter of the 20th century.