Chinese Ancestor Portrait

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...

Sprawling green meadows, crystalline waters, and classical architecture define this set of sumptuous nineteenth-century oil paintings, hailing from Italy. Comparable in size and styl...

The sign is of Burmese origin, made from teakwood and covered in lacquer and gold leaf. The two legible characters are “Jade” and “Art”. As many carved signs were shop signs, this may have been a jade dealer’s sign...

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 ...

This Teakwood pediment carving came from a Northern Thai house. Pediment carvings were part of the traditional architecture system and were found under overhanging roof gables. We know it was a residential roof (and not a temple's) because of the shallow angle. Temple roofs are much steeper and usually temple exteriors were painted, so some pigment would usually remain, particularly towards the top. Thai houses were made from solid teak --walls, roofs, floors; everything. They were always raised on stilts to remain above seasonal flooding, snakes and other forest creatures. The area below the house was used for animals and storage. The Thai architectural wall system (including pediments) always employed heavy beams and thin floating panels. Visually these wall panels are very attractive and richly textured on account of exposure to moisture. Teak is very resistant to moisture and insects, so the lifespan of teak exterior parts can be over 150 years. The antique pediment...

This family crest is from a chateau in France and is made from oakwood and gilt poly-chrome, circa 18th century.

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

Depicting a husband and wife seated with rank badge. Ebonized frame.

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...

Vintage (20th Century) Chinese pen and ink family ancestor portrait capturing nine honorees seated in front of scrolls bearing text framed by curta...