| |
| |
|
Humanities Information |
|
|
|
A Hidden Oriental Jewel: 100% Chinese Hand-Made Silk Embroidery
Introduction Do you know what "silk embroidery is? Do you know what it looks like? Many people I come across in the U.S. are either unaware or unfamiliar with what silk embroidery is. Moreover, for the few who are familiar with this specialized Chinese skill, I have discovered that they do not have a true knowledge and appreciation for this fine Chinese art form. Thus, the implication can be made that "silk embroidery" is truly a "Hidden Oriental Jewel" that has been under appreciated in the West due mainly to the fact that the common person is ignorant of the time, effort, and skill required to create high-quality "silk embroidery" works. Hence, the purpose of this article will be to inform and educate you (whether the art lover or the common person) on: What is silk embroidery?, How it is made?, How to appreciate it?, etc. My hope is that you will acquire an appreciation for the uniqueness and value of this oft-overlooked Chinese art. Whether an art lover or not, I think you will come to appreciate the value of this "Hidden Oriental Jewel." What is Silk Embroidery? Silk embroidery is a type of Oriental wall art that results from the traditional Chinese skill of pulling fine strands of colored silk through a canvas to create a beautiful work of art. The most common way to enjoy silk embroidery is as a framed, wall-hanging object. Hence, it is ideal as a gift, collectible, home decoration, souvenir, or office piece. The art of skill embroidery originated in China and has been practiced there for over 3,800 years. It reached a high level early in the Qing and Han dynasties, with silk and silk embroidery being the main products transported along the ancient Chinese Silk Road. China was one of the first countries to transform embroidery into an advanced art form. The use of special embroidery techniques and styles sets apart Chinese embroidery from embroidery created in other parts of the world. In the past, embroidery skills were considered to be an essential skill every woman was to possess. A woman who could create a high-quality embroidery piece was admired and well-respected. Women from rich families took on embroidery as a hobby while those from poor families did it for a living. Today, high-quality embroidery works are treated on the same level as the best Chinese paintings and Tang/Song Dynasty poems How To Appreciate Silk Embroidery? Whether you're an "art lover" or the "common person," you'll come to appreciate the value of silk embroidery once you learn of the skill and effort that goes into creating each piece. To create a high quality piece, an artist must split a single silk thread into several thinner threads. It can be split into 12 to 48 thinner strands - depending on how fine the artist wants to be with his/her piece. The embroiderer then stitches layer after layer using threads of a variety of colors to reach the final wonderful effect. Embroiderers are known to take frequent breaks - every 10 to 15 minutes - to rest their eyes due to the strenuous nature of their work. Due to the labor-intensiveness of the work, some larger and more intricate pieces of embroidery may require a year to a year and a half to complete by an artist or group of artists. Those works sell for thousands of dollars, - which is reasonable - considering the skill and time involved in creating the work. Of course, smaller pieces are available that are of high quality yet sell for much less. Four Types of Silk EmbroideryThe adoption of different needling methods through the years has resulted in four distinctive embroidery styles in China: 1) "Su" embroidery of Jiangsu Province - known for its delicacy and elegance, this style is usually very simple, highlighting a main theme. Its stitching is smooth, dense, thin, neat, even, delicate and harmonious. The thin thread is divided into up to 48 strands that are barely visible to the naked eye. Su embroidery is where double-sided embroidery originated. Su embroidery products were sent to participate in the Panama World Fair in 1915. 2) "Xiang" embroidery of Hunan Province - became the main craft in places around Changsha, capital city of Hunan Province, in the Qing Dynasty. Xiang embroidery was developed from Hunan folk embroidery methods, but it also drew on the skills of Su embroidery and Yue embroidery. This method uses loose colorful threads to embroider the pattern with the stitches being not as neat as those of other embroidery styles. The various colored threads are mixed together, showing a gradual change in color with a rich and harmonious tone. Designs on Xiang embroidery mostly derive from traditional Chinese paintings of landscapes, human figures, flowers, birds and animals. The most common designs on Xiang embroidery are lions and tigers. The tigers appear strong and bold, revealing their power and menace as a king of animals. Xiang embroidery won the best award in the Torino World Fair in Italy in 1912 and the First Award in the Panama World Fair in 1933. 3) "Yue" embroidery of Guangdong Province - is rich and complicated in content with bright colors and strong decorative effects. The embroidery is smooth and even. One type, gold and silver cushion embroidery, creates a magnificent three-dimensional effect. Yue embroidery has a wide range of designs, the most common ones being birds worshipping the sun, dragons and phoenixes. 4) "Shu" embroidery of Sichuan Province - are mostly found in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. They are made with soft satins and colored threads as the raw materials are embroidered by hand. The varied stitching methods form their unique local style. Designs on Shu embroidery include flowers, birds, landscapes, fish, worms and human figures. The products themselves include quilt covers, pillow covers, back cushions, table cloths, scarves and handkerchiefs. Western-Style Silk Embroidery Western-style silk embroidery occurs as the result of anartist using fine silk strands and needles to accuratelyreproduce famous Western-style oil paintings (see figure 2)- like Van Gogh and Da Vinci. It is truly amazing how anembroidery artist can literally take silk strands and createa silk reproduction of a well-known artist's oil painting. Essentially, the artist paints with fine silk strands insteadof painting with oil. Think about it . . . does this not perhapsrequire more skill than painting with oil itself? Despite thedifference in materials and technique, one thing about asilk embroidery work is that - from a distance - it can verymuch resemble a work of oil painting . From up close, however, one can notice the colorfulpatterns and detailed stitching in a silk embroidery work. In fact, the colors will appear more bright and lively thanthe usually duller colors of an oil painting. Double-Sided Silk Embroidery Double-sided silk embroidery is the result of an advanced embroidery technique in which the artist stitches on both sides of a single transparent silk canvas. The embroidered design displays on both the front and back sides of the fabric and does not show the joints in the stitching. Such a work is normally mounted as a screen on a wooden frame. A special feature about double-sided silk embroidery is that you can enjoy the artist's handiwork from either side of the picture. How To Mount & Store Silk Embroidery Mounting a piece of silk embroidery can be an art in and of itself. Hard Mounting - is most suitable for small to medium-sized embroidery pieces. It involves mounting the piece on a wooden board or frame with a front protective glass. The mounting technique is relatively easy to master. Soft Mounting - is most suitable for larger pieces. It involves mounting the embroidery piece on a large sheet of paper with a silk border. The mounting technique is very difficult to master. As a result, due to the nature of the mounting technique, a piece with soft mounting is more valuable. Storing - be sure to wrap embroidery pieces in a container that protects it from moths. Also, embroidery should not be exposed to strong light - especially sunshine - for an extended period of time. Moreover, the environment should be neither too wet nor too dry. Recommended Reading 1) Art of Oriental Embroidery: History, Aesthetics, &... by Young Yang Chung. 2) Painting with a Needle: Learning the Art of Silk Embroidery? by Young Yang Chung This article was written by Raymond Yuen of Eternal Imports (EI). EI specializes in the provision of unique, hand-made, quality products from around the world. You may check them out at http://www.rejoiceinarts.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Symbolism Behind an Anchor Tattoo and Anchor Tattoo Design Anchor tattoos were all the rage for sailors. It was often the symbol of a very experienced sailor. Gymnastics Olympic Champions From 1988-2004 Here are the men's and women's all-around champions from thelast five Olympic Games -- these are just briefbiographies, but they surely give you an idea of yourgymnast's potential.2004 Paul Hamm, Carly PattersonPaul Hamm, the 2004 men's all-around champion ingymnastics, was born on September 24, 1982, and has a twinbrother by the name of Morgan. How to Create a Multi-Artistic Piece (Article 1 of 2) In the late 19th century the music world was graced by an artist who would push the boundaries of music and art. Richard Wagner laid the foundation for performance art. What About Those Pyramids? 'Mr. Rhodes aspired to be the creator of one of those vast semi-religious, quasi-political associations which, like the Jesuits have played so large a part in the history of the world. Christopher Columbus CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: - It seems a mystery to most academics why the governments who are based on Manifest Destiny and the 'colon'-ization of the world by Christophe Colon (this is the name he wanted to be called and may actually be the Catalan Cathar name for him. Colon means 'Dove' and it is the Dove of Jesus or Peace which the Cathars sought to provide in their Gnostic ecumenicism. She Wrote the Book on Fakin It She brought the guitar into vogue. She created the first "fake" books designed for regular folks who didn't want to or were unable to invest the time and effort to master the guitar. The Monsters Mother Somewhere in the world, every eight seconds, a mother is throwing her hands in the air and declaring that her child is a little monster. But for Echidna it was the literal truth. Is Timing the Secret of Success? Success is often viewed as a magic potion. Market demand has always been there, but no-one has worked out the recipe or how to bottle it. A Defense of Cultural Intelligence When humans set off to address fundamental issues about what and how life is to be, two important questions exercise the conscience though a middle-ground question could arise from these two. One question is: 'how do we make humans the measure of all things for now and for things that are to come?' The other question is: 'how do we make nature the measure of all things for now and for things that are to come?'The first question submits the direction of nature to the boundless will and self-determination of humans. Conspiracies: The Pyramid and the Sphinx Egypt has long been the source of countless conspiracies, ranging from ancient lost civilizations to extraterrestrial markers. The reason for this focus is likely because Egypt is the most romanticized ancient civilization, and also because it is home to the mystical Great Pyramid of Giza, the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. Marilyn Monroe and Mary Jo Kopechne I doubt Marilyn Monroe was anything but a confused star-struck drug-using individual with some gifts and talents that the Kennedy boys enjoyed. But she may have been so obsessed with them that she would have threatened to tell some of what she knew and she did have the attention of the people and media. Painting Philosophy of Peruvian Artist LifeI paint with an emphasis on expressing LIFE (the spirit and the soul) which is the expression of my love for the natural world and its creatures. From the heart of my Incan cultural comes my love and respect for nature. Thaitsuki Nihonto Samurai Swords: Leading The Way So why are these swords so popular? There are several reasons but number one is quality. The Thaitsuki swords are handmade by trained craftsman in using a family method over 200 years old. The Trafalgar Way - Devon Remembers the Battle of Trafalgar During the third week of August 2005 the Trafalgar Way was officially inaugurated in Devon to commemorate the bi-centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.The Lorna Doone, an original North Devon stagecoach visited inns and hostels along the full length of what is now know as the Trafalgar Way in Devon. Painting as a Spiritual Expression Is a painting no more than a piece of paper with lines and color or is it more than that? In the hands of the master painter, who is painting in the spirit; the lifeless piece of paper with its lines and colors, is transformed into a creation that has life, just as the master creator gave life to his creation. The painter transmits the essence of his spirit to his creation, the "painting. Mythology and Parables in Modern Communication - Part 1 Today there is a growing need to examine all our systems of thought and communication. We are witness to an information explosion. Flows of Civilization; Views from a Think Tank Over the past few years we have been discussing many topics. Most of what is discussed here has to do with observations of the world we live in. Sixties: The Decade of Rebellion It is safe to say that in the sixties everything changed: society, fashion, music, art, media, everything was impacted. It was a time when everyone truly believed they could make a difference, when it seemed as if the world had limitless possibilities and a few people trying really hard, willing to sacrifice everything, could change the direction of everything. The New Age Movement New Age - A Paradigm Shift to Divine Consciousness & a Universal PhilosophyThe New Age Movement (NAM) is a revival of spiritual and divine values and can be called as a Divine Regeneration Movement. New Age Philosophy has conquered the West intellectually and Western culture is currently experiencing a phenomenal shift - sociological, spiritual & ideological. Art, Women, and Creativity Women have been given the greatest gift of creativity there is-the capacity of creating and having a child. Even if a woman has never had children, just the biological possibility, is life defining.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
