Badge
17th century
Insignia badges, a late 14th-century innovation, signaled official rank. Animals such as the leopard, tiger, rhinoceros, and sea horse stood for military rank. The qilin, a mythical creature with a two-horned dragon's head, a fishlike scaly body, cloven hoofs and a broad tail, was the insignia for nobility in the Ming dynasty. During the Qing, it became the first rank emblem for military officers.
Silk, peacock feather, and gold thread embroidery
13 3/8 x 14 1/4 in. (33.97 x 36.2 cm)
Overall h.: 17 in.
Overall w.: 16 3/8 in.
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
33.140
