Woven Brushstrokes: The Fusion of Nanjing Yunjin Brocade and Chinese Painting
London Design Festival 2024
Saturday 14th - Sunday 22nd September 2024
Gallery Marquess, 14 Shepherd Market, Mayfair
- Opening times
14 Sept 17:00 - 21:00
15 - 21 Sept 11:00 - 19:00
22 Sept 11:00 - 17:00
- Free admission
We are delighted to present our exhibition celebrating Nanjing Yunjin, a traditional jacquard silk brocade renowned for its cloud-like colours and rainbow-like sheen. With a history spanning over 1,600 years, Yunjin has been meticulously preserved through generations of skilled craftsmen in Nanjing.
In collaboration with the Nanjing Yunjin Research Institute, this exhibition showcases Chinese paintings woven using Yunjin techniques, emphasising its luxurious texture and sheen. We also provide insights into Yunjin's development history and intricate production process.
The exhibition highlights a beautiful fusion of Yunjin and Gongbi painting, known for its meticulous detail and vibrant colours. We feature five Yunjin pieces inspired by Gongbi paintings from artists of the Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties, along with modern masters. Artisans from the Nanjing Yunjin Research Institute have creatively reinterpreted these works, incorporating gold and feather thread to add brilliance to the compositions.
Additionally, the exhibition includes a replica of a Qing Dynasty first-rank civil official badge (Guanbu), distinguished by its unique crane emblem.
What will we present?
Welcome to the exhibition to discover more
Summer’s Repose
Chen Zhifo (1896-1962) is renowned for his detailed and realistic depictions of flowers, birds, and insects. This brocade artwork, based on his painting, features two birds playing on a lychee tree. The branches, laden with lychees, are beautifully shaped, and the composition is simple and elegant.
The blue feathers on the birds' backs and the surface of the red lychees are woven with bright and shiny metallic threads, adding intricate detail and vibrancy to the piece.
Snow in Tongguan Pass
This brocade is inspired by the landscape paintings of Tang Dynasty painter Yang Sheng, depicting a snow scene in the Tongguan area. The artwork conveys an ethereal and tranquil artistic conception.
The undulating green mountains, vibrant orange-red autumn leaves, and a quiet village hidden among the snow-covered peaks create a serene atmosphere. The colourful metallic threads flicker with changing light, adding a poetic touch reminiscent of falling crystal snowflakes.
