This is a pair of bridal bed curtains that would have been hung at the front of the wedding bed. These embroideries would have been made in China and imported to Indonesia and the Straits Settlements. Auspicious motifs like the mythical qilin often decorate these curtains as they symbolize felicitous offspring. Bed curtains would often be tied back to the bed posts by silver hooks.This is an important and diverse collection of Peranakan Chinese beadwork and embroidery from Indonesia. It contains unusual forms of beadwork and embroidery and are reflective of the fondness that Peranakan Chinese throughout Southeast Asia have for bright colours and ornate decorations.
