Man's uncut imperial coat (chao fu). China. Ming Dynasty. early 17th century. Solid ciselé silk velvet embroidered in silk and gold. 956.67.2 Gift of Louise Hawley Stone.
Fellowship Year: 1999
Project Title: Development of Chinese Velvets: Chinese Velvet Design, Use, and Weave Structure
Development of Chinese Velvets: Chinese Velvet Design, Use, and Weave Structure
Prior to Dr. Feng’s work, little research on Chinese velvets had been conducted since the ROM’s Harold Burnham’s 1959 study. Dr. Zhao surveyed the Chinese velvets in the ROM’s collection, focusing on compiling a full classification of the textiles according to their weave structures, designs, and usage. He described how these textiles were produced, using extant Chinese documents and illustrations as source material, and compared European velvets to those from China to clarify any influences in the production process, and to give a chronology of the Chinese velvet textiles in the collection.
About the Fellow:
Dr. Feng Zhao has served as Curator of the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhao since it opened in the early 1990s. From 1978 through to 1984, he studied at Zhejiang Institute of Silk Textiles (now Zhejiang Sci-Tech University), obtaining his bachelor’s followed by his master’s degree. From 1995 to 1997, he studied at China in China Textile University (now Donghua University), obtaining his doctorate in Textile History. Between 1997 and 1998, he was a visiting researcher at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Dr. Feng Zhao has served as Curator of the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhao since it opened in the early 1990s. From 1978 through to 1984, he studied at Zhejiang Institute of Silk Textiles (now Zhejiang Sci-Tech University), obtaining his bachelor’s followed by his master’s degree. From 1995 to 1997, he studied at China in China Textile University (now Donghua University), obtaining his doctorate in Textile History. Between 1997 and 1998, he was a visiting researcher at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Related Publications: Zhao, Feng. Treasures in silk : an illustrated history of Chinese textiles. Hangzhao: 1999.
Zhao, Feng. Treasures in silk : an illustrated history of Chinese textiles. Hangzhao: 1999.