THE STORY
Coyly coiled within their heavenly sphere, two dragons twist and twine, their lithe and luminous bodies flowing like liquid metal.
Their mood is playful and gentle as they cavort in the clouds of a kingdom at peace, their fearsome protections at rest for a time, quelling their ancient power.
Clasping their iridescent riches, the dragons softly vie for the final prize.
The framing foliage tells of harmony and tranquillity, a pairing for eternity.
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ARTIST'S NOTES
This page showcases a personal summary of Sabina's research, her detailed texts reflecting on the specific themes and ideas which influenced the final artworks and help to bring each story to life. Sabina's accompanying notes are an integral part of her creative process, summarising the multitude of influences, discoveries, and inspiration behind every design.
Chasing The Pearl was inspired by the dragon; the oldest and most meaningful of all animals represented in Chinese art. The Chinese dragon is a revered and auspicious creature, distinct from its malevolent Western counterparts. While traditionally portrayed front-facing as a symbol of imperial prowess, it is often depicted in side profile to display its benevolent side, symbolising the protection great power wields.
The design is featured in the collection Softest Song, a gentle, poetic take on the peaceful culture and stories of Song Dynasty China. From mythical creatures to symbolic animals, the collection focuses on the simplicity, refinement and tenderness of the era.
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THE ILLUSTRATION
One of the most prominent categories of Chinese dragon painting is ‘chasing the pearl’, depicting a dragon or pair of dragons in playful pursuit of a glistening pearl. The pearl symbolises spiritual energy, wisdom, prosperity, power, immortality, thunder, and the moon, while round shapes were associated with heaven.
The corners of the design feature a combination of pine, bamboo, and spring-flowering prunus; a common Song era pairing. Stylised clouds represent a kingdom at peace, and bows represent divine nature. A jade carving of a dragon chasing a pearl features in the lower right corner of the design; Jade is considered the ‘stone of heaven’, a bridge between spiritual worlds. Strategically placed cinnabar seals identify the artist and the provenance of the work while balancing the composition. Sabina Savage is noted in a traditional, calligraphy-style brush script.
RESEARCH
Among all the animals represented in Chinese art, the dragon is the oldest and most meaningful. Dating back several thousands of years, it is the highest ranking creature in Chinese hierarchy and has long been used as a symbol of the emperor to represent imperial power (the imperial throne is often referred to as the ‘Dragon Throne’). During the Song dynasty, Emperor Huizong increasingly defined dragons as an exclusive symbol, establishing the tradition of the dragon as the ‘heavenly son’.
The Chinese dragon is distinct from its malevolent Western counterparts; while omnipotent and formidable, in China it is a revered and auspicious creature, its benevolent side symbolising the protection great power wields. Associated with yang, throughout the centuries the dragon has acquired an almost unlimited range of supernatural powers. It is said to be able to transform itself into a silkworm or by contrast, become as large as our entire universe. The Chinese dragon has broad association with the weather and transformation; It can form clouds, become water, or change colour in order to camouflage with its surroundings. These awe-inspiring beasts have long been a subject of great interest to scholars and artists alike, representing the collective forces of nature.
The earliest surviving Chinese dragon painting on a silk banner, excavated from a tomb, is thought to date back 2500 years. From the Song dynasty onwards, dragons were usually depicted with clouds or waves, and are characterised by a shift toward more dynamic, painterly, and symbolic representations, in line with the aesthetic concept of ‘qiyun’ (showing a subject’s expressive life force). While evident in the paintings of Dong You and Ren Congyi, this is most famously exemplified by Chen Rong’s 1244 masterpiece ‘Nine Dragons’ (九龍圖卷), a breathtaking handscroll depicting soaring and twisting apparitions of the ‘nine sons’ amongst turbulent mists and cloud (In Chinese culture, the number nine is highly auspicious, representing eternity, longevity, and supreme power).
Song dynasty dragon painters spent much time contemplating the dragons’ interactions with their surroundings (cloud, mist, rain, thunder, wind) and their changing moods and activities. In terms of the Chinese dragon’s appearance, Han dynasty scholar, Wan Fu, recorded, ‘his antlers resemble those of a stag, his head that of a camel, his eyes those of a demon, his neck that of a snake, his belly that of a clam, his scales those of a carp, his claws those of an eagle, his soles those of a tiger, his ears those of a cow’ (nine elements). Dragons are generally portrayed within one of three distinct settings: sky, oceans, or marshes and mountains, depicted in side profile for decorative objects, and front facing to represent imperial power. One of the most prominent categories of Chinese dragon painting is ‘chasing the pearl’, depicting a dragon or pair of dragons in playful pursuit of a glistening pearl. The pearl symbolises spiritual energy, wisdom, prosperity, power, immortality, thunder, and the moon. The ancient Chinese folktale, ‘The Dragon’s Pearl’, tells of a magical pearl which makes anything it comes into contact with increase and multiply, and the tale is another example of the dragon’s benevolence in Chinese culture.
Round shapes (such as a pearl) were associated with heaven, so circles and spherical compositions are a frequent feature of ancient Chinese art. One example is the silk moon-shaped fans of the Song dynasty; these artworks became so treasured, the delicately painted silk panels were more frequently mounted as album leaves than used as fans. The combination of bamboo and blossom was often employed to represent marital happiness, while pine, bamboo, and spring-flowering prunus were a common Song era pairing. Stylised clouds are one of the oldest decorative techniques in Chinese painting, used to fill empty spaces and typically representing a kingdom at peace. Bows represent divine nature, accentuating the special powers of ethereal creatures, while jade is considered the ‘stone of heaven’, a bridge between spiritual worlds.
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A range of beautiful fabrics are available for each design, from classic silk twill to our sumptuous signature wool and silk blend. Each piece is printed and hand finished by artisans in the UK.
