Chinese Qing Dynasty Ancestor Portrait, Senior Official First Rank, 19th Century

Description

An impressively sized 19th century Chinese Qing dynasty ancestral portrait painting of a senior official of the first rank in … more An impressively sized 19th century Chinese Qing dynasty ancestral portrait painting of a senior official of the first rank in bamboo frame with silk mat.

Displays crisp, fine line work, rich, vibrant colors, and exquisitely executed details throughout. The artist’s painstakingly hand-painted and inked recreation of the intricate embroidery designs of the distinguished subject’s imperial robes in particular invite and reward closer inspection.

Ancestor portraits have a long history in China stemming from filial piety, with family members commissioning them to commemorate deceased relatives. Officials of the first rank were entitled to wear a ruby or red stone finial upon their hat with a pearl set beneath it, as this ancestor appears to do.

Presented in its original very well-crafted wood-backed vintage bamboo frame with silk mat under glass.

Dimensions listed are overall; sight is H 47 in. x W 21.5 in.

(Per the previous seller, it’s possible that this painting appears on page 298 of “The Horizon Book of the Arts of China”, though we have not yet confirmed that.) less