Threaded Memory in Silk and Light
United Nations Registration No.00177
Heritage Since
Rooted in 500 BCE silk thread portrait techniques
Collector Grade
Less than 1 in 500 Su embroidery works reach this size and shading complexity
Manual Hours
100+ hours of layered tonal stitching on mulberry silk
📜 Story Behind the Craft
This piece revives the classic form of European portraiture—graceful posture, soft gaze, and subtle expression—reimagined through the ancient Chinese art of hand embroidery. Unlike brush and canvas, this portrait is built stitch by stitch, using silk thread as ink and needle as brush.
Drawing on centuries of cultural and technical excellence, the Gu Family’s Su embroidery studio has preserved and elevated this form through intergenerational craftsmanship. Combining the sensibilities of Western romantic art with the precision of Eastern technique, this piece exemplifies cross-cultural dialogue through threadwork.
📐 Product Specifications
- Embroidery Technique: Suzhou Su Embroidery
- Material: 100% Mulberry Silk Threads
- Silk Thread Detail: 2–6 strands (from 1/16 to 1/8 of a full thread)
- Color Palette: Over 80 shades of natural silk
- Stitch Density: Full Coverage
- Embroidery Area: Approx. 15.7 × 17.7 inches (40 × 45 cm)
- Framed Dimensions: Approx. 33.5 × 41.3 inches (85 × 105 cm)
- Frame Material: Premium wooden frame with acrylic glazing
- Packaging: Custom shockproof wooden crate
- Delivery Note: Larger items shipped via freight with professional cushioning
🤝 Made with Care
This artwork is embroidered by seasoned Gu Family artisans in Suzhou, whose lineage in silk artistry stretches back over 2,500 years. It takes weeks of silent concentration and highly disciplined craftsmanship to complete such a portrait, balancing tonal layers and directional strokes with unrivaled softness.
Every piece is created using real mulberry silk and meticulous handwork—no shortcuts, no automation. The result is a portrait rich in emotion, light, and depth, shimmering under natural light in ways that no print or oil paint can replicate.
🧵 Craftsmanship & Ingredients
- Threads: Hand-dyed silk threads spun from natural mulberry
- Stitches: Flat stitch for skin tone gradation, random stitch for depth in fabrics and background
- Technique: Multiple silk splits per strand to control density and tonal subtlety
- Framing: Professionally matted and framed with decorative edging
- Visual Effect: Lifelike facial expression, soft skin transitions, floral embellishment
🌏 Artisan & Origin Spotlight
This piece was completed by a Gu Family embroidery master—one of over 100 skilled artisans employed by the Gu studio, a legacy brand known for pushing the boundaries of Suzhou silk artistry. The family has operated official showrooms in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, serving collectors, interior designers, and art institutions worldwide.
Their works represent a refined blend of classical Chinese silk embroidery and European visual language—a rare and accomplished form of cross-cultural artistry.
🏛️ Cultural Heritage Recognition
Rooted in Imperial Textile Traditions
Gu Family embroidery reflects the height of Suzhou’s imperial-era textile traditions, applying refined craftsmanship to re-interpret foreign artistic forms. This portrait draws from the Su school of precision needlework and embodies the (refined, elegant, and clean) values that define Su embroidery.
UNESCO ICH Recognition
🔖 UNESCO ICH No.00177: Chinese Sericulture and Silk Craftsmanship
🔗 Learn more at the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage website →
To collect or gift this portrait is to celebrate the meeting of East and West in timeless, tactile beauty.
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