Chinese Ancestor Portrait of a Mandarin Dignitary

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

Superb Ammi Phillips American Folk Art Portrait painting, circa 1840 We are proud of our acquisition of this authentic masterpiece by Ammi Phillips (1788-1865). The finely rendered portrait depicts an attractive young girl in a delightful lifelike quality. The pretty face is a refreshing change from the stern expressions of most of the paintings showing mature female or male sitters. Phillips palette is dark with a strikingly dramatic use of light to her face. The painting, on its original stretchers, is in untouched condition. The frame is period. This painting is unsigned, as are most of his works, but bares the unmistakable characteristics of a Phillips painting. Portrait of a young girl holding a book and wearing a golden whistle. From the New England estate of the renowned Folk Art Collector and scholar, John Bauer...

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...

With exquisite detail and sparkling color, this portrait of a young woman is a remarkable example of reverse glass painting. Lending the finished work a subtle three-dimensional effe...