Velvet Fabric for a Woman's Ao or Magua (Short Coat), Shoes, and Accessories
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), about 1890
Silk, warp-float faced 3:1 'Z' twill weave with supplementary pile warps forming cut and uncut solid velvet
448.9 × 67.2 cm (176.7 × 26.5 in)
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Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
Woven Chinese silk has been coveted globally for thousands of years, ever since its development by the Yangshao culture of China (about 5000 to 3000 BCE). This silk velvet yardage is woven to shape, creating pattern pieces for a full-sleeved, short jacket that overlaps in front and would have been worn in informal domestic settings. To avoid wasting the expensive fabric, covers for matching shoes and other accessories were incorporated into the pattern in between the larger pieces.
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