Textile Folding Screen, China, 18th-19th century, silk, embroidered silk, cotton © 2001-2014 The Peabody Essex Museum.

Panel with Antique Motifs, Qing dynasty (1644-1911).Embroidered silk. Museum purchase, 2005, E302681 © 2001-2014 The Peabody Essex Museum.

This panel imitates ink rubbings of ancient roof tiles, complemented by a descriptive calligraphic inscription. In addition to serving as a testament to the persistence of antiquarian themes in Chinese art, the panel demonstrates the aesthetic of the brush, although the brush is absent. In embroidering the image, the artist has retained the modulation, movement and form of brush written characters, despite the fact that they were created with a needle and thread.

Rubbings of terminal roof tiles were collected in books and appreciated for their aesthetic value by Chinese epigraphers in the 18th and 19th century.

Embroidered Banner, China, late 19th century, wool, embroidered silk © 2001-2014 The Peabody Essex Museum.