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Collector-Quality Silk Embroidery Artwork From Suzhou, China
Monterey Bay's Great Galleries
Words cannot describe the beauty and intricacy of this ancient art form which dates back to 800 B.C. But, for the first time in the U.S., the elaborate detail and rich colors of these incredible creations are available at Lu Lu’s Silk Art Gallery in Carmel. Visiting this beautiful gallery is an awe-inspiring experience. The astonishing detail of these beautiful pieces will stun you to silence.
For more than 2,800 years, silk embroidery has been coveted by Chinese royalty both for clothing and décor. Originally, the robes of nobles were embroidered with symbols of importance such as dragons, phoenixes, and astrological bodies. Throughout the millennia, silk embroidery became an integral part of the Chinese culture. Emperors would use it as a reward for loyalty and reverence to their subjects. Commoners sometimes paid their taxes with silk, and their daughters’ desirability for marriage was often assessed by her proficiency in silk embroidery, which, as an important part of her dowry, was presented and judged by the groom’s family.
As time went on, the detailing got finer as the art form became more popular. The Suzhou-style silk artwork is, to this day, considered to be the finest of all. Using finely woven silk cloth as the “canvas,” these amazing embroiderers meticulously stitch designs, focusing on the love of nature, using delicate silk threads, which can be split into as many as 64 strands — finer than the hair of a baby. Employing many different techniques, these artists create pieces that seem to move in the changing light. Re-creations of well-known paintings as well as portraits of famous people are created with phenomenal accuracy. Many of these individual pieces are created by several different artists working together and can take as much as five years to complete.
Regrettably, modern times and Western thinking have diminished the desire for China’s young people to learn this skill, and as a result, it is truly a dying art. It is widely believed that within 20 years there will be no more of these artisans. Now is the time to see and experience this exquisite art form before it disappears. Gallery owner Lu Luo delights in the telling of the truly unique history of Suzhou, China’s “Threads of Light.” Open weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lu Lu’s Silk Art Gallery
Mission between Fifth & Sixth Avenues, Carmel, California.
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Bob Gallery
Doud Craft Center
West side of San Carlos between Ocean and Seventh Avenues, Carmel, California, (831) 620-1122
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