Portrait of a Seated Civil Official
early 17th century
Description
This hanging scroll depicts a seated gentleman dressed in the red robe of an official; emblazoned with two crested birds in flight amidst clouds, the so-called mandarin square, or badge of rank, indicates that he is a civil official. He sits in a magistrate's chair draped with silk brocade. Visible at the bottom, the lacquer chair shows scrolling designs carved through alternating layers of red and black lacquer. It has been suggested that this portrait may represent Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), a translator and associate of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), the Italian Jesuit priest active in China in the late Ming period. Although this scroll has long been catalogued as Korean-indeed, it is related in style to Korean portraits of the Chosôn dynasty (1392-1910)-it now seems more likely that it is Chinese.
Dimensions
painting proper: H. 155.3 x W. 95.8 cm (61 1/8 x 37 11/16 in.) mounting: H. 302.3 x W. 116.8 cm (119 x 46 in.)
Related Artworks
View MoreFragment of a mural
16th-17th centuryChineseHandscroll; gold ink on indigo-blue paper, with a signature reading "Wan Daoren Shouqi"
17th centuryChineseAlbum of fourteen leaves; ink and color on silk
17th centuryChineseHanging scroll; ink on silk
17th-18th centuryChineseAlbum; ink, color and gold on silk
17th-19th centuryChineseAlbum of fourteen leaves; ink and color on silk
17th centuryChineseHanging scroll; ink and color on silk
17th centuryChineseAlbum leaf; ink and color on silk
14th-17th centuryChineseInk and colors on silk
17th-19th centuryChineseAlbum leaf (one from a set of eight); ink on paper
17th centuryChineseHandscroll; ink on paper
17th centuryChineseHanging scroll; ink on silk
17th-18th centuryChinese