Drawing by william alexander, draughtsman of the macartney embassy to china in 1793. Chinese noble woman wears a long robe of silk or satin, accompanied with under-vest and drawers of taffeta. Her hair is smoothed with oil and closely twisted, and fastened with bodkins of gold and silver; across her forehead she wears a band, from which descends a peak of velvet, decorated with a diamond or pearl, and artificial flowers, are arranged on each side of her head. She wears earrings and a string of perfumed beads. The use of cosmetics was well known among the wealthy chinese ladies, painting the face both white and red, was in common practice; the eyebrows were brought to be very narrow, black, and arched. The small shoes are elegantly wrought, with ankles covered by loose bandage. Her son has queues of hair on each side of the head, as was the fashion. The servant holds a green parasol over the lady. He wears a ring of brass or tutenag. Image taken from the costume of china, illustrated in forty-eight coloured engravings, published in london in 1805. Date: circa 1800.
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