Ceremonial Headdress
China
19th century
Medium: wire, silk, gilt silver, plumage, pearls, gems
Notes from the Walters Art Museum: This headdress was likely once worn by the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908), the effective ruler of China during the later years of the Qing Dynasty. It is an exquisite example of Chinese decoration and the symbolism used to express one’s rank. The small phoenixes emerging from the surface represent the empress, while the countless pearls and gemstones mark this piece as something special for the adornment of the highest-ranking woman in Chinese society.