Apron (Korea)

Embroidered apron from Korea, c. 1900. Embroidered apron from Korea, c. 1900. Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. T.196A-1920.

An embroidered apron from about 1900 is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. It has a satin ground material and is worked with silk and gold thread. It was acquired in Seoul in 1919 by a Christian missionary. The panel is attached to a white silk band (daedae) outlined in black. The apron, called a husu in Korean, was worn at the back, together with a hat and another belt (see illustration).

The panel (measuring 80 x 72.3 cm) is embroidered with two vertical rows of cranes, in white, blue and yellow. Cranes have a very symbolic meaning in Korea, representing wisdom.

The panel, hat and belt were worn by a courtier during ceremonies at the Royal Ancestral Shrine.

V&A online catalogue (retrieved 11 July 2016).

WV

Last modified on Sunday, 04 June 2017 18:48
Published in Religious vestments and other textiles
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