Pair of Chinese Ancestor Portraits

These elegant oval frames were custom made to hold a set of “his and hers" oil portraits; probably a wealthy Italian couple. The wood carving is well-detailed and quite sturdy. The ...

Depicting an Italian scene; likely 18th century. The painter is unknown but likely Flemish. The canvas is in good overall good condition, now mounted on a hardboard backing. The comp...

This Flemish painting of "Pastoral Scene" is from Belgium and is made from oil on canvas, 18th century. Flemish paintings flourished from the early 1...

This finely-executed oil painting was produced by Prayat Tadonock in 1990. Prayat was trained as a fine artist according to Thai classical principles and then learned Western oil pai...

Often referred to as “Fu Dogs” in western culture, these handsome stone sentinels are iconic gatekeepers seen throughout China and elsewhere in Asia. Traditional symbols of protectio...

Made from Elm Wood with mortise-and-tenon joinery, these chairs are as sturdy as they are beautiful.

A Chinese 'Ancestor Portrait' oil on canvas laid down on board, depicting a seated dignitary. The Chinese characters identify the artist at Giuseppe Castiglione...

Believing that the departed continue to hold influence over the lives of the living, many Chinese households honor their ancestors in private family rituals, invoking their spirits for long life, health, and prosperity. Commemorative portraits, which came into vogue in the late Ming and Qing dynasties, were commissioned specifically for ancestor worship and were believed to house the spirits of the deceased. When properly cared for, one's ancestors were believed to be a powerful source of honor, protection, and good luck. This pair of ancestor portraits was hand-painted in the late-19th century and beautifully depicts a Qing-dynasty couple. While some ancestral portraits offer a more stylized representation of one's ancestors, this particular pair is painted with incredible realism and life-like expressions. Rather than depict the pair in a regal hall wearing elaborate finery, the couple is shown in a quiet home environment, seated at either end of a square tea table. Their surroundings are minimal, practically undecorated, and they wear simple, matching blue silk robes. Two young children stand beside them, each trying to capture the attention of their grandparent. We love the painting's close attention to detail and the glimpse it offers of Qing-dynasty interiors - from the carved apron of the marble-top table to the red silk lotus slippers...

Chinese ancestor portrait of a Mandarin Dignitary. Antique tempera on paper painting of a Mandarin Dignitary wearing a red court dress and s...

This intricately detailed composition is a late-Qing dynasty ancestor portrait depicting several generations of a family's male ancestry. Or...

Believing that the departed continue to hold influence over the lives of the living, many Chinese households honor their ancestors in private family rituals, invoking their spirits f...

A nice pair of Chinese ancestor family group portraits, 19th century, on paper, framed in teak frames under glass. Twelve characters total in per...