2 large portraits of members of the imperial court painted on silk, China, Qing dynasty, 166.5x91 cm (portraits) (small restorations). According to E. Sormani and S. G. Dutta, who appraised these portraits in 1989, one depicts Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) and the other Emperor Guangxu (1871-1908). They also date these portraits to the late 19th century (circa 1885).

The woman is shown seated on a throne, probably made of lacquered wood and decorated with shou (longevity) characters, bats, precious objects and lotus petals. She is wearing a red and black winter chaoguan (朝冠, hat) adorned with three phoenixes, surmounted by a three-step ornament of white pearls accompanied by two chilong and finished with a red stone. She wears a jinyue (金約, headband) adorned with blue flowers on a black background and is adorned with three pairs of earrings composed of two white and three blue stones. Three long chaozhu (朝珠, necklaces), one falling vertically and the other two crossing diagonally, adorn the front of her chaogua (朝褂, vest) with its sometimes black background, adorned with five-clawed dragons in the clouds above the primordial waves. Also of note is a white caishui (彩帨, hanging decoration) adorned with auspicious motifs. A piling (披領, collar) adorned with dragons on a blue background covers his shoulders. Beneath the vest is a dress with a beige background, decorated with the same motifs as the vest, and matixiu ("horse hooves") sleeves. The throne is set on a carpet richly decorated with flower scrolls and leiwen frieze.

The man sits on a similar throne adorned with the three friends of cold, the shou character and bats, resting on a similar carpet. He wears a dark blue coat adorned with three medallions, each containing a five-clawed dragon, and a piling also adorned with dragons. Beneath his coat, we can make out his dress, also blue, with five-clawed dragons chasing the flamed pearl and matixiu sleeves. He is also adorned with a white necklace punctuated by three larger green pearls, and three small pendants hanging from the necklace, with one red, one dark blue and one light blue pearl. A double gourd-shaped container adorned with the character shou protrudes from either side of his coat. He wears a red and black winter chaoguan adorned with white pearls topped by a large red pearl supported by dragons.

A pair of portraits depicting a nobleman and a royal lady, dated to the late Qing dynasty, sold at Bonhams, London, November 10, 2016, lot no. 117. Similarities can be seen in the thrones, carpets and posture of the figures. Another portrait of Princess Shouzang, dating from the Qing dynasty, is kept at the National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, inv. n°S1991.122. It also features a similar throne and carpet.

Expertise report by E. Sormani (Galerie Sormani) and S. G. Dutta (Galerie Dutta), 14 December 1989.

兩之清代幅繪於絲綢上的大幅肖像 166.5x91厘米

2 large portraits of members of the imperial court painted on silk, China, Qing dynasty, 166.5x91 cm (portraits) (small restorations). According to E. Sormani and S. G. Dutta, who appraised these portraits in 1989, one depicts Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) and the other Emperor Guangxu (1871-1908). They also date these portraits to the late 19th century (circa 1885).

The woman is shown seated on a throne, probably made of lacquered wood and decorated with shou (longevity) characters, bats, precious objects and lotus petals. She is wearing a red and black winter chaoguan (朝冠, hat) adorned with three phoenixes, surmounted by a three-step ornament of white pearls accompanied by two chilong and finished with a red stone. She wears a jinyue (金約, headband) adorned with blue flowers on a black background and is adorned with three pairs of earrings composed of two white and three blue stones. Three long chaozhu (朝珠, necklaces), one falling vertically and the other two crossing diagonally, adorn the front of her chaogua (朝褂, vest) with its sometimes black background, adorned with five-clawed dragons in the clouds above the primordial waves. Also of note is a white caishui (彩帨, hanging decoration) adorned with auspicious motifs. A piling (披領, collar) adorned with dragons on a blue background covers his shoulders. Beneath the vest is a dress with a beige background, decorated with the same motifs as the vest, and matixiu ("horse hooves") sleeves. The throne is set on a carpet richly decorated with flower scrolls and leiwen frieze.

The man sits on a similar throne adorned with the three friends of cold, the shou character and bats, resting on a similar carpet. He wears a dark blue coat adorned with three medallions, each containing a five-clawed dragon, and a piling also adorned with dragons. Beneath his coat, we can make out his dress, also blue, with five-clawed dragons chasing the flamed pearl and matixiu sleeves. He is also adorned with a white necklace punctuated by three larger green pearls, and three small pendants hanging from the necklace, with one red, one dark blue and one light blue pearl. A double gourd-shaped container adorned with the character shou protrudes from either side of his coat. He wears a red and black winter chaoguan adorned with white pearls topped by a large red pearl supported by dragons.

A pair of portraits depicting a nobleman and a royal lady, dated to the late Qing dynasty, sold at Bonhams, London, November 10, 2016, lot no. 117. Similarities can be seen in the thrones, carpets and posture of the figures. Another portrait of Princess Shouzang, dating from the Qing dynasty, is kept at the National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, inv. n°S1991.122. It also features a similar throne and carpet.

Expertise report by E. Sormani (Galerie Sormani) and S. G. Dutta (Galerie Dutta), 14 December 1989.

兩之清代幅繪於絲綢上的大幅肖像
166.5x91厘米

Overall wear to the surfaces

Small restorations

A few stains

A few creases