 |
|
Home |
|
Chinese Ancestor Portrait, Hanging Scroll browse these categories for related items... All Items: Archives:Regional Art:Asian:Chinese: Pre 1837 VR: item # 277308 Please refer to our stock # 60-58 when inquiring.
Silk Road Gallery PO Box 2175 Branford, Connecticut 06405, USA (203) 208-0771 Guest Book SOLD |
|
||||||||||||||
| Calligraphy on the table plaque behind the two figures in this Chinese ancestor painting reads, "Born March 06, 1456, Died December 08, 1538." Ancestor portraits generally were commissioned after the death of the subjects, later retouched as needed, or often completely repainted and, as a result, are difficult to date. This painting, we believe, dates to the 19th century, possibly earlier. It has retouched areas and they seem to add to the character of the piece, which is very large and quite powerful. The focus of the painting is in the faces of the couple, especially their eyes. Although the expressions are quite serious since that was part of the essential "formula" for Chinese ancestor paintings, the eyes of both the man and the woman convey great kindness and humor. The other elements of the painting, while interesting, were part of the formula and, as such, serve to emphasize the humanity in the faces. Above the table in the background is a screen with a painting of the Chinese bodhisattva Guanyin flanked by paintings of birds. Since ancestor portraits often were done on a pre-painted background, the screen may or may not have had significance in the lives of the couple pictured. According to an article on ancestor portraits in the Sackler's Collection that appeared in "Arts of Asia," July/ August 2003, sometimes the entire paintings except for the faces were pre-painted. The robes of the couple include badges of rank but historians have pointed out that the badges pictured sometimes inflated the rank of the ancestors. This man was most likely an official, however, since the elevation typically did not place the ancestor into a totally different element of the social structure. The woman's headpiece is especially elaborate and colorful, and of the two, her robe remains in better condition. Most retouching was done on the blue portion of the man's robe. The painting has been remounted on a silk scroll and that appears to have been done fairly recently. These two figures looking out from the past have great appeal, and their portraits, while not in perfect condition, have survived well enough to retain their spark. Dimensions: height 80" (203 cm), width 39" (99 cm). | |||||||||||||||
|
