The Empire's New Cloth: Cross-Cultural Textiles at the Qing Court

A groundbreaking study of textiles as transcultural objects in the Qing court that provides a new understanding of the interconnectedness of the early modern world In the early modern period luxury textiles circulated globally as trade goods and diplomatic gifts, fostering cultural exchange between distant regions.By the eighteenth century, both China and Europe had developed a splendid tradition of silk and tapestry weaving.While the role of Chinese silk imports in Europe has been well studied, this book reconstructs the forgotten history of the eastward movement of European textiles to China and their integration into the arts and culture of the Qing Empire. The Empire’s New Cloth explores how Qing court workshops adapted European textile designs and techniques and uncovers the specific uses and meanings of these textiles in imperial military ceremonies, religious spaces, and palace interiors.Through careful study of a wide range of previously unpublished objects, Mei Mei Rado illumi