How to look at a Dragon Robe

The 2026 John Dinkel Memorial Lecture is presented by Rachel Silberstein, a historian of Chinese dress and textiles. She explores the history of the dragon robe, the most important regulated garment of the Qing Chinese government, and considers several examples worn by those outside that government, including women, actors, deities, and foreigners. Before the lecture, you can view the exhibition in the Prince Regent Gallery, 'Fire and Water: Dreaming of Dragons', which takes you on a journey around the world, revealing how dragons have captured people’s imagination in European and Asian cultures. Rachel Silberstein is a Senior Teaching Fellow on the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Programme in Asian Art and has published widely on Qing fashion and textiles.