A Chinese silk embroidery with a silk backing dating from the 19th century. The embroidery features sections of the forbidden stitch and includes flowers, scholar’s items and fruit. Dimensions are: 15 in. tall X 12 in. wide; 38.1 cm tall X 30.5 cm wide. All measurements are approximate. Condition: The border is worn, there are numerous tears and rips, as well as moderate staining. Provenance: From a collector in Washington D.C. Her father in law (Nelson T Johnson) was sent to China by the US State Department in 1906 and was a US ambassador to the Republic of China from 1935 to 1941. After he left China he became an ambassador to Australia. In 1946 he became the head of the Asian Department in the US State Department. The woman’s husband was also born in the Marine hospital in Peking in 1933. High resolution photos can be found at: https://oag.smugmug.com/Asian-Decorative-Arts-March-2020