Step 4 of 10

All That Glitters...

Related Images

  • Fig. 1. Detail of a Woman’s Formal Robe, Late Edo Period, Early 19th Century, Japan. From the collection of the LACMA in Los Angeles. Accession Number: M.2007.51. [LACMA Los Angeles](https://collections.lacma.org/node/213623)
  • Fig. 2. Detail of an Embroidered Cloth with Birds and Flowers, Tang Dynasty, ca. 9th – 10th century, Gansu, China. From the collection of the British Museum. Accession Number: MAS.857. [British Museum](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_MAS-857)

Let us take a closer look at the most prominent feature of these slippers: the embroidery. It is here, in the various motifs and in the technique, that we find most of the evidence of Chinese cultural influence.

It appears that most of the design had been applied using a couching technique. This method makes use of fine stitches to lay down heavy single or double strands, and is often utilized to fasten stiff metallic thread to a design Wang Yarong. Chinese Folk Embroidery (London: Thames and Hudson, 1987), 135.. Not only do these fine stitches keep thicker cords in place, they also add complexity to the design. The overlaying couching stitches soften the harsh gleam of the metal cord, whose subsequent subtle glow will take on different hues depending on the color of the thread used.

When we look at our slippers, we see that most of the metallic string has lost its luster. However, some of the design still retains a golden glimmer, and we can see the couching stitches which have been used to fasten the metallic cord. These red threads would have given the gold shine a warm and vibrant tone, matching the color of the silk and creating a more unified composition. Although the couching technique is not unique to China, it is prominently used in Chinese, Indian and Japanese embroidery (see fig. 1 and 2).