We are delight to present this special exhibition in collaboration with Jiangnan Palace, celebrating the enduring artistry of Suzhou embroidery and the rich heritage of Jiangnan silk craftsmanship.
The luxurious imperial robe and classical masterpieces by legendary artists are revived, revealing the timeless beauty and cultural depth of Suzhou embroidery. We honor the resilience of Chinese craftsmanship—bridging East and West—while exploring the aesthetics of immersive exhibition design.
Silk: China’s Cultural Signature
During the 18th and 19th centuries, when “Chinoiserie” swept European courts, silk expanded across every facet of noble life—clothing, shoes, bedding, curtains, even furniture covers. As demand soared, European artisans attempted to replicate dragon-and-phoenix and floral motifs from Chinese silks. Unable to match the weaving techniques of Jiangnan, many marked their work “Made in China” to ensure authenticity and sales.
Jiangnan: The Apex of Silk Craft
Globally, silk always traced back to China, and Jiangnan was its heart. In the Qing dynasty, four weaving bureaus were managed by the Imperial Household Department, three of which—Nanjing, Suzhou, and Hangzhou—formed the “Three Jiangnan Weaving Bureaus,” producing silk exclusively for the imperial family, officials, and ceremonial gifts. Even the wedding dress of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981 was made from Suzhou taffeta, underscoring Jiangnan’s preeminence in silk craftsmanship.
Suzhou alone once accounted for half of global silk exports. Yet, with shifts in trade and the absence of contemporary brands, centuries of ceremonial and daily silk embroidery gradually faded, awaiting revival and contemporary appreciation.
This exhibition brings together AMBELIE and Jiangsu’s century-old “Xiu Niang Silk,” extending the Suzhou embroidery lineage. By combining intangible heritage skills and local workshops, the project preserves handcraft while exploring modern interpretations. “Xiu Niang Silk” is also reconstructing the Jiangnan Palace—collecting historically dispersed embroidery treasures worldwide, restoring looms with the Forbidden City’s imperial robe restoration team, and replicating royal garment techniques, where a single robe may take two years to complete. This monumental endeavor rebuilds the memory and aesthetic order of a region and its craft over time.
Suzhou Embroidery: Elegance in Detail
Embroidery is silk’s crowning adornment. Silk alone is already luxurious; embroidery adds depth, richness, and dimension.
Within the brand’s workshops, artisans recreate classical masterpieces in Suzhou embroidery: fan paintings by Tang Yin, Wen Zhengming, Shen Zhou, Qiu Ying; Wang Ximeng’s A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains; Song Huizong’s Auspicious Cranes; Lin Chun’s Loquat and Birds; Ma Hezhi’s Moonlit Autumn Sounds. Each stitch revives broken threads of history into continuity.
Suzhou embroidery, the most refined of China’s four major embroideries, achieves extraordinary delicacy. Qing Secret Archives notes: “Song embroiderers’ threads are divided into dozens or even hundreds of filaments, finer than a spider’s silk, and needles as fine as hair.” Using the technique known as “split-threading,” artisans create flowing, shimmering textures that reflect light and exude elegance.
Suzhou embroidery’s precision allows it to faithfully reproduce any image, giving rise to embroidered paintings and books during the Song dynasty. Each stitch grows like a crystal, layering ink-like shading without weight, perfectly embodying “split-threading.” Its value lies in uniqueness; no two pieces are alike. The “Eight Perfections”—evenness, fineness, density, consistency, smoothness, harmony, and light—capture Jiangnan’s aesthetic spirit in silk.
Beyond Suzhou embroidery, the exhibition also presents other regional styles—Cantonese embroidery’s intricate delicacy, Beijing embroidery’s elegance, and more—showcasing the diversity and heritage of Chinese embroidery.
AMBELIE curates this collection with an eclectic aesthetic, highlighting the resilience of Chinese craftsmanship across East-West dialogues and exploring comprehensive display aesthetics. The exhibition features antique Suzhou embroidery reproductions of classical paintings by “Xiu Niang Silk,” alongside Qing to 20th-century pieces from AMBELIE GALLERY, reviving the craft peak of the “Three Weaving Bureaus” era.
Each stitch is both a brushstroke and an epic, weaving the glory of a bygone world into the present.
