Forbidden Stitch Embroidery of a Shan Shui Vase

A wonderful example of Chinese embroidery, this framed silk textile uses the infamous forbidden stitch to depict a fine blue-and-white porcelain vase. Also known as the "Peking knot" or "seed stitch," the forbidden knot is a silk embroidery method that results in minuscule, pearl-like knots, usually densely clustered to cover a fabric with color. This intricately stitched vase is depicted with painted decoration of a scenic mountain landscape on its rounded body, a classic painting form known as "shan shui." An all-over pattern of florals and trailing vines decorates the narrow neck in the blue-and-white style.