清朝道光时期龙袍一件，由德国驻华代表家族于1918~1924年收藏，后于欧洲售出，辗转回流。龙袍乃清代服饰之核心，均象徵皇室朝廷，代表社会上的至高权力，唯有权高位重者，才能穿著如此礼服。满清自入关以来，为统御汉族，力求营造出强盛形象，服饰象徵满族之顺天应人、传承久远，乃稳固政权的重要工具。且发展一套独特之服冠制度。
满清龙袍之形制可回溯自前朝皇服，龙纹成为帝王服饰的装饰。龙袍又称吉服袍，主要用于重要吉庆节日，宣扬大清皇权及势力。龙袍以数种织法及颜色构成：釦绊、右大襟、长窄袖筒前段接绸缎，作马蹄袖端。直至十八世纪初，始以九龙纹饰之。前胸、后背及双肩饰正龙各一，身著龙袍立于南北座向的紫禁城时，四龙即代表国土四方；下摆前后饰行龙各二，意指东北、东南、西北、西南方；里襟饰龙纹一，不为外露。此次拍卖中这件道光时期龙袍，其工艺精美，缎绣金龙张牙舞爪正对观者，以正侧角度游云飞翔，整体气势万千。祥龙迎面腾飞，凌厉雄健。此本详录冠服仪制，其中行龙飞腾于江崖海水上之纹饰，俨已变成通世象徵满清皇权之图腾，明黄色为清代皇权最高等级，亦为不可多得之珍品。
Qing Dynasty, a dragon robe from Daoguang period, This piece was once collected by a family of German representative in China in 1918~1924 and sold in Europe later.Robes decorated with dragons are the quintessential Qing dynasty garments. They were the dress of imperial government-not its ritual and ceremonial functions, but its civil administration. As a result, they became supreme significant social markers representing access to power. The right to wear such garments was dependent on rank and status.Throughout history, the Qing Manchus were keenly aware that the image they projected was especially evocative and powerful. From the outset of Manchu ambitions to rule the Chinese empire, dress was an essential tool to communicate legitimacy and heritage. A distinctive form of dress therefore was developed.The source for the Manchu dragon robes can be traced to the rulers of the previous dynasty. Dragon patterns had decorated Chinese imperial dress since at least the tenth century. Longpao were classified as jifu, literally "auspicious dress," that was worn for occasions celebrating the power and authority of the Qing government. The construction of these robes emphasized multiple fabrics and characteristic features: loop and toggle button fastenings, curved front overlap closing to the right, long tapered sleeves with extensions of contrasting fabric, flaring matixiu, or horse hoof cuffs, deep vents front and back for men and at the sides for women that imitated horse-riding garb.While the earliest Qing longpao followed the Ming pattern of a single or a pair of dragons extending the full length of the coat,5 from the early-eighteenth century this configuration changed. Manchu dragon robes began displaying a design of nine dragons: four radiating from the neck on the chest, back, and shoulders. These pointed to the direction of the cardinal points on the compass when the wearer was aligned with the strictly north-south orientation of the Forbidden City. Four additional dragons on the skirts-two at the front and two at the back-indicated the intermediate directions. A ninth dragon, unseen, was placed on the inner flap. The dragon robe of the Daoguang period in this auction is exquisite in craftsmanship. The generous space devoted to the dragons, differentiated by size, contrasting those facing the viewer with those shown in three-quarter view, gives the salmon-ground robe a dramatic presence. The Regulations brought the cosmic purpose of imperial rule into sharp focus. The force of court coat iconography, with its carefully arranged pattern of dragons amid clouds above the universal ocean washing against the earth mountain, quickly transcended the political and ethnic priorities of imperial government to become universal symbols of the empire.Bright yellow represents the highest level of imperial power in the Qing Dynasty, this dragon robe is definitely an unique gem.
