My daughter gave us tickets to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. The featured exhibit was Empresses of China’s Forbidden City. with 200 objects from the Chinese Palace Museum.
The clothing items were embroidered with images of dragons, bats, flowers and other symbols of longevity and power. Vases, bowls and ceremonial items had similar designs and were fashioned from precious metals and gems.
The Peabody Essex Museum ranks among the top 20 art museums in the United States and holds one of the major collections of Asian art.
Court vest with dragons & clouds, Yongzheng period, 1723-35 
Court vest with dragons & clouds Court vest (detail)
Informal robe with chrysanthemums Informal robe with chrysanthemums
Empresses of China’s Forbidden City – Boots Peabody Essex Museum – Empresses of China’s Forbidden City – Shoes with dragons, Kangxi period 1662-1722
