Japan, c. 1880, Meiji period (1868-1912)

The large tapestry finely embroidered in silk primarily in brown, cream, salmon, light blue, and black, with one large confronting dragon and six smaller dragons, all three-clawed, cavorting amid intricately defined clouds tufted in various shades of gray, beige, and blue silk threads, a magic pearl (tama) on the top.

SIZE 248 x 143 cm

Condition: Good condition with typical wear, minimal soiling, very few loose threads, minor losses.

The aesthetic of the present tapestry owes significantly to the Chinese Imperial design language of the Ming and Qing dynasties and the corresponding ceremonial tastes. Unlike most Chinese dragons, the Japanese version has only three claws, enabling the artist to make them larger and thus more threatening. Also, there are no metal-wrapped gold or silver thread embellishments present. The artist has relinquished the usage of such superficial decorations to instead ultimately focus on the dominance, not to say menacing appearance of the main confronting dragon. His portrayal is astounding in its sophistication and maturity. Its fierce countenance is imbued with a sense of agility and gravity. The dynamic depiction with its head facing the observer and three powerful open claws appears to be a variation of the forward-facing dragon found on blue and white ceramics developed from the Yuan period onwards.

The inspiration for this unusually striking example probably originated from Southern Song paintings such as those by Chen Rong (c. 1200-1266). Compare with two paintings in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA, the first titled Silongtu, ‘Painting of Four Dragons’, see the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession no. 14.50. Also compare to a second painting by Chen Rong titled Jiulongtu, ‘Painting of Nine Dragons’, see the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession no. 17.1697.

The dragon on the current tapestry is closely related to the dragons painted by Chen Rong in both style and spirit. The additional short spiky bristles in front of tufts of long flowing hair at the elbows of the dragon have not been seen on many occasions, but they do appear on Chen Rong’s dragons. Also, the dragons appearing in the Jiulongtu are each depicted with its neck flexed and tail extending, using the tension around the neck to indicate movement. The juxtaposition of tension and ease, movement and stillness, is akin to the confronting dragon depicted on the present tapestry.

Chen Rong’s dragons have been widely revered and imitated since the Song and Yuan periods, and the Xuande Emperor - as an avid art patron and competent artist - welcomed their influence on Imperial wares, which in turn were highly admired by Japanese artists of subsequent generations. Their ability to transition ancient Chinese painting techniques into different media, such as lacquer, wood carving, metal casting and tapestry, however, is unrivalled.

Another highlight on the current wall hanging is the scattered cloud scrolls. They have been strategically placed and shaped according to the space available, not only filling the voids but also being aesthetically pleasing. They are particularly creative, breaking up the otherwise monotonous symmetry of the seven dragons.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related silk hanging of a dragon, once hung in a Buddhist temple in Japan, of related size (270 x 178 cm), in the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession number T.132-1927.