A couple weeks ago I shared a beautiful Imperial Yellow dress from the China exhibit at the Metropolitan Art Museum’s Costume Institute. (New York City)
This week I am sharing a dress from another section of the exhibit – the blue and white dresses that were inspired by blue and white “Willow” and other Chinese porcelain.
This dress shown is also featured in the Museum’s marketing materials – and rightly so – because it is such a rich expression of the blue and white porcelain artform… reinterpreted into fabric.
In the photo collage above, I’ve mixed 2 views of the dress, with some of our favorite Asian (Japanese) designs.
Many motifs in Chinese art and design, have close counterparts in Japanese art and design: stylized waves, cranes, dragons, koi fish, peonies, chrysanthemums and wisterias for instance. The ubiquitous shades of Blue Indigo are deeply ingrained in the textile traditions of both cultures.
We have many fabrics which are distinctly Japanese (geishas, kimonos, sushi, etc.) but many Asian fabrics have symbolic meanings in several Asian cultures. Chrysanthemums for instance represent life and rebirth, so they are popular themes for baby showers and birthdays.
Dragons are a powerful symbol, and many of you have used hand-painted dragon batik panels for your quilts and wearable art projects.
A quilt full of Asian symbols can carry a wealth of hidden meanings for your intended recipient. You can put this information on a label on the back of your quilt, decoding the secret message for your beloved!
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