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A large Chinese ancestor group portrait, late 19th century/20th…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
25-Oct-2015
Lot No.
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Description:
A large Chinese ancestor group portrait, late 19th century/20th century, Chinese ink and colour on paper, depicting a group of five seated figures dressed in their fine satin winter robes, in front of a screen illustrated with mountains, mist and pines, symbolising the sitters' scholarly wisdom, the female sitters, each with the family insignia badge at their fronts, and with pearls in their headdresses, indicative of the official status of the patriarch, the backdrop to this work is beautifully detailed including the diamond-patterned floor tiles, mounted and framed, 142 x 89 cm, for a similar work, please refer to: Christies, south Kensington, 28 April, 2015, lot 202, and Christies, south Kensington, 18 March, 2012, lot 64. Catalogue note: china has a very long tradition of ancestor worship, and living family members would routinely perform rituals in order to honour their ancestors, sometimes asking for special favours or assistance from them, as they were considered to have the ability to influence the fortune of the living., the social aspect of the ritual was to cultivate family values, loyalty and lineage., ancestral portraits were usually painted by anonymous artists in workshops and were designed to provide an important focal point for those rituals in the house. The portraits were considered objects of great value. A requisite to being portrayed was to have a high civil rank of government.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified