180 - A fine embroidered 'deer and crane' silk scroll, attributed to the Gu family

A fine embroidered 'deer and crane' silk scroll, attributed to the Gu family China, ca. 17th century 78 x 37,5 (87 x 43,4) cm (94 x 63 cm R.) Silk embroidery (Gu embroidery) on a silk ground, mounted as a hanging scroll. Silk satin (cream-white), twill weave; embroidery: silk thread (colored), satin stitch and running stitch, partially finely painted with pigments. This work features delicate "thread painting" in the renowned Luxiang Garden style, associated with the Gu family of Shanghai. The composition depicts an auspicious, idealized landscape bathed in the light of a red evening sun, centered on the classic motif of *Lu He Tong Chun* ("Deer and Crane in Harmony"). At the center of the scene are symbols of longevity in the imperial gardens: elegant spotted deer walking along a riverbank and white cranes nestled among the branches of a wutong tree. In the foreground, an arched bridge connects two land areas. At the top center, embroidered two-line inscription in a semi-cursive script: *Jiuchong yulu zipei jiu, huazuo xuanchunyuan li xian* ("Nourished for a long time by the rain and dew of the nine-tiered imperial palace, they have now transformed into immortal beings within the imperial Xuanchun 'Spring' Garden"), followed by two embroidered red seals: Hutou (Tiger Head) and Qingbi Zhai (Qingbi Studio). From an old private collection in Berlin - Cf. a similar embroidery, attributed to a member of the Gu family, 17th century, Bonhams, auction 31 October 2023, Lot 361; Embroidery by the Gu family, 16th/17th century, Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, Christie’s auction 27 May 2008, Lot 1923 - Signs of age, cracks and missing parts, slightly soiled and wear, somewhat faded and yellowed, framed under glass The Gu family from Shanghai founded the legendary Gu embroidery (顾绣) in the 16th century, which is still regarded today as the pinnacle of Chinese textile art. In their family’s Luxiang Garden, the highly educated women of the family revolutionised traditional handicraft by faithfully recreating masterpieces of classical painting with needle and thread. By splitting silk threads into hair-thin fibres, master craftswomen such as Han Ximeng succeeded in making delicate colour transitions and ink shading appear just like genuine brushstrokes. These masterpieces, renowned as ‘thread painting’, were mounted on scrolls like paintings, inscribed with calligraphic poems and signed with distinctive studio seals such as ‘Hutou’ or ‘Qingbi Zhai’. Originally created purely as private art for the imperial court and the elite, the family’s style had a decisive influence on later generations