K’o-ssu Unfinished Robe Fragment

“K’o-ssu” translates to “cut silk,”which was a very labor intensive weaving technique that first appeared during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in China. The style peaked during the Mind Dynasty (1368-1644), and lasted through the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The different color threads were on separate bobbins, which creates a fine split in the weave. Only the weft threads were visible, and this technique was very technically demanding and time consuming.

This fragment is the sleeve and part of the body of a robe. It was either never assembled, or taken apart.  The design consists of 3 1/2 roundels with images of landscapes, flowers, and trees in polychromatic silk and metallic thread. The ground is a dark green silk with cloud and bird motifs.