The tapestry was given to the Chinese general and administrator Tianjue Zhou in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1901, it came into the possession of the missionary Anton Volpert of the SVD congregation in Steyl – a period coinciding with the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901), when widespread looting took place in China.
It is therefore suspected that this object was taken by force or through looting.
The research was carried out in collaboration with PhD student Yang Hu from Leiden University.
Chinese tapestry. Collection Missiemuseum Steyl
What makes this research special is that it sheds light on a relatively unknown period of German colonialism in China, during which the SVD was active. At the time, the missionary congregation played a role in fuelling the Boxer Rebellion.
At the same time, the research helps to explain why such objects were collected by missionaries and subsequently exhibited in Steyl. For today’s visitors, this provides new context and critical insight into the colonial history of the collection.
