This embroidered panel features a central ogival medallion with a deer and crane, and other auspicious motifs of ‘qilin’ (Chinese mythical creature), fish, peony blooms, foliage and butterflies in the background. It is embroidered using the satin stitch, where stitches of varying lengths are densely sewn onto the base. When executed meticulously, the evenness of the stitches combine to give a smooth and satin-like sheen. The satin stitch is a mainstay in traditional Chinese embroidery, but is also a recurring feature in Peranakan textile arts. Not all embroidered pieces in the Peranakan household were necessarily the handiwork of its womenfolk. Some of the larger pieces of embroidered panels could have been made by professional embroiderers in Canton (present-day Guangzhou) and Shanghai
