Cruel Elegance in an Eight-Hundred-Year-Old Chinese Brocade

Textile with swan hunt, 12th–13th century. Jin dynasty (1115–1234). China. Plain-weave silk brocaded with gold-leaf wrapped leather strips; 23 x 24 1/2 in. (58.5 x 62.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Ann Eden Woodward Foundation Gift and Rogers Fund, 1989 (1989.282)

«Reader beware: although elegant in appearance, the textile shown above depicts a moment of cruelty! This extraordinary Jin dynasty (1115–1234) silk brocade with a repeated pattern illustrating a swan hunt is now on view through June 19, 2016, alongside other important and unusual textiles in the exhibition Chinese Textiles: Ten Centuries of Masterpieces from the Met Collection.»

Over a ground of green silk, teardrop units are brocaded with gold thread. Each of the teardrops depicts a swan flying among floral sprays. The swan is showing its elegant movement as if not detecting an imminent danger from above: a falcon, ready to dive and attack. The predator is shown as strikingly small, a typical feature of an important breed of hunting falcon called "East Sea Blue" (haidongqing).

Detail view of one teardrop unit from the silk brocade

This motif illustrates a dramatic moment from the swan hunt, an important annual event known as the "spring [hunt by] water" for nomadic peoples such as the Jurchen rulers of the Jin dynasty, one of several such groups that controlled much of northern China from the tenth to the fourteenth century. Historical texts confirm that Jurchen noblemen wore such robes of green silk with this specific motif during the annual event. Illustrations of this important seasonal event was very popular during this period, also appearing in various media including painting and ceramic works—examples of which are featured in the exhibition Masterpieces of Chinese Painting from the Metropolitan Collection.

Top: Attributed to Chen Juzhong (Chinese, active ca. 1200–30). Nomads hunting with falcons, early 13th century. Song dynasty (960–1279). China. Fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on silk; 9 1/2 x 10 3/4 in. (24.1 x 27.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, From the Collection of A. W. Bahr, Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1947 (47.18.32). Bottom: Zhang Family Workshop. Pillow with hawk hunting a swan (spring hunt), 12th–13th century. Jin dynasty (1115–1234). China. Stoneware painted with brown and black pigment on white slip under transparent glaze (Cizhou ware); L. 16 1/8 in. (41 cm), H. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm), D. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Ernest Erickson Foundation, 1985 (1985.214.132)

The silk brocade exemplifies the fashion in luxury textiles during the period. It was meticulously woven with silk thread and flat strips of gilded parchment. A close view of the back of the textile reveals its weaving structure.

Detail view of the reverse of the silk brocade

The pattern units woven with gold thread were set over monochrome silk ground. These units are fashioned in geometric form without linear borders and their patterns are always asymmetric, as can also be seen in this Jin dynasty red brocade with coiled dragons in the Met's collection of luxury Chinese textiles.

Textile with coiled dragons (detail). Jin dynasty (1115–1234). China. Plain-weave silk brocaded with metallic thread; 29 1/8 x 13 in. (74 x 33 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Lisbet Holmes, 1989 (1989.205)

To get a better idea of this "cruel elegance," be sure to explore these marvelous artworks in our Chinese art galleries!

This exhibition is part of The Met Asian Art Centennial 2015, a yearlong celebration of the Museum's Department of Asian Art. View all blog posts related to the centennial.

Related Links
Chinese Textiles: Ten Centuries of Masterpieces from the Met Collection, on view August 15, 2015–June 19, 2016
Masterpieces of Chinese Painting from the Metropolitan Collection, on view October 31, 2015–October 11, 201