A polychrome rectangular silk fragment of three pearl roundels each framing confronted stylised ibex under a geometric shaped star, standing ona palm shaped oating platform. The roundels separated by symmetricallylinked palmettes. All on a green background.
A true example to illustrate the impressive achievements made by the ancient Chinese silk weaving industry, showcasing the fusion of traditional Chinese designs and Western designs, which entered China through the silk road.
- Similar textile fragments are in the Horyuji temple, Nara and are illustrated in ‘The silk road and the shoso-in’ by Ryoichi Hayashi, 1975.
- For further discussion on the roundel form, see Michael Meister, ‘The Pearl Roundel in Chinese Textile Design,’ Ars Orientalis volume VIII (1970), pp. 255-267 and illustrations Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.
