Suzhou Embroidery. Pan Jian-Ying Embroidery Studio
167 × 206 cm, 1998
This monumental twelve-panel embroidered screen is based on Gatherings of Immortals to Bless Longevity, a celebrated work by Ren Bo-Nian, a leading figure in late Qing Dynasty painting. The composition depicts a grand celestial gathering, where groups of immortals arrive to offer birthday blessings to the Queen Mother of the West, a prominent deity in Daoist mythology. A total of forty-six immortals appear across the screen, portrayed in animated, richly varied poses—some carry precious offerings, others dance or perform music—amidst mythical beasts, rare treasures, and auspicious landscapes. The embroidery captures the original painting’s exuberance through masterful needlework, using a combination of vertical and slanted Straight Stitch to portray detailed human figures, animals, and natural scenery. Notably, the reverse side of the screen bears a lengthy inscription detailing the meaning of the original artwork, along with the history and technical legacy of the Pan Jian-Ying Embroidery Studio. Though rendered in ink rather than thread, this text forms an elegant counterpart to the embroidered surface.