A Pair of Chinese Ancestor Portraits in Rosewood Frames

A wonderfully charming large and colorful Chinese hand painted wallpaper section in a carved and shaped hardwood frame. The wallpaper dates to the first half of the 20th century or e...

An absolutely charming pair of Japanese Tosa School six-panel folding screens painted with the "One Hundred Boys at Play" motif, featuring a multitude...

A very large vintage Chinese export reverse glass painted figural hanging wall panel in a carved hardwood frame, early to mid-20th century...

An important Chinese 17th century early Qing Dynasty "Water and Land Ritual" painting, mineral pigment and ink on silk, mounted as a scroll, framed and glazed. The painting depicting groups of heavenly court officials and deities descending from the clouds to participate in the Liberation Rite of Land and Water. The figures all wear full, sumptuous robes, complete with hats indicating their station. The blue, green, red, black and white of the robes decorated with gilt dragon and geometric designs. This painting is interesting in that it incorporates Daosit deities and heavenly officials coming down to participate in the Buddhist rite. There are five distinct groups of figures, each with a small inscribed plaque. Some of the groups are identified as Tian Xian, or Heavenly Immortals. The group at the bottom left are identified as the Sanguan Dadi, or Three Great Emperor-Officials. The Emperor of Heaven is dressed in blue robes with gilt painted dragons. The Emperor of Water wears black robes. The Emperor of Earth wears yellow robes...

A refined and elegant pair of huanghuali nesting trays. An exotic hardwood, huanghuali (which translate to "yellow flowering pear wood"), has long been prized in China. These trays would originally have graced the desk of a scholar and aided him in his scholarly pursuits. The larger tray features a wonderful golden hue, and a prized "ghost face...

A lovely pair of Chinese export porcelain figures of court ladies with nodding heads, late Qing Dynasty, circa 1900, China. The elegant ladies dressed in gorgeous traditional robes...

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...

2 portraits, late 18th century, oil on board.