Discover exquisite embroideries, dyed silk and velvet panels, tapestries, and appliqué works
The hō-ō is a mythical bird and symbol of immortality, sometimes called the Japanese ‘phoenix’. Originally derived from Chinese mythology, it became a popular motif in Japanese art. The most spectacular feature of this hanging is the gold thread ground, which resembles the gold leaf background on painted folding screens. Thread loss in some areas reveals cotton thread and paper padding beneath the embroidery stitches. (Exhibition number 6)
Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 9 November 2012-27 January 2013, Threads of Silk and Gold: Ornamental Textiles from Meiji Japan, Clare Pollard, ed. (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 2012), no. 6 p. 95, illus. pp. 86 & 95
phoenix
Mythical bird known as hōō in Japan. The Islamic tradition appropriated the far-eastern iconography of the phoenix and used it to represent another mythical bird, the simurgh.
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
Objects from past exhibitions may have now returned to our stores or a lender. Click into an individual object record to confirm whether or not an object is currently on display. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis, so please contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular Eastern Art object.
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