This is an extremely fine silk-on-silk Cantonese-style embroidery. A textile of striking similarity to this style - perhaps from the same workshop - can be found in the Cleveland Museum. This Cleveland Museum textile, item 1960.276, is considered to have been created in the 18th or 19th century. It seems almost impossible that a craftperson could have created such a tour-de-force on such a small canvas. The excellent condition can be attributed to the fact that this embroidery was never utilized on a screen: this is the only such unused screen that I have come across, and therefore is in superior condition than others of its kind. Presently mounted with a blue border (recent) stretched over a wood frame. 17"x 13.5".