Page 186 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

porcelains was undoubtedly the key political power of this era, namely Britain, which is

in keeping with the exquisite collections of Chinese porcelain kept in Britain’s museums.

Empress Cixi’s actions surrounding the various rebellions that occurred during

her lifetime left her with a negative global reputation. She became known as being anti-

Western. To combat these criticisms, Cixi turned to patronage as a means to reestablish a

more positive image. Major examples of this positive patronage include her interests in

both photography and Western portraiture, which were explored in previous sections

(Section 1.3, Figure 5). The key factor is that these endeavors allowed Cixi to appeal to a

Western audience, ultimately portraying her as a modern ruler. An examination of these

portraits provides more evidence of Cixi’s specific late Qing style. The clothing that the

empress dowager chose has the same iconography that is found on her dayazhai wares

and in her painting (Section 1.4, 1.5, Figures 11-19). The recurrence of floral imagery,

most specifically the use of peonies, is visible. The continued inclusion of this imagery

creates a strong argument for the empress dowager establishing herself as the premier

patron of the late Qing dynasty and the primary developer of the styles associated with

the era.

A less-investigated area related to Cixi’s attempt to reestablish herself in a more

modern and Western-friendly manner was her frequent reliance on diplomatic gifts. In an

effort to restore diplomatic relations that had been strained over the course of her reign,

Cixi became reliant on both painted and porcelain gifts. The Victoria and Albert

Museum holds one of these gifts from Cixi, a large hanging scroll painted by Miao Jiahui

entitled Peonies dating from 1906–1908 (Figure 71). The top of the scroll shows the

large seal associated with the empress dowager, identifying the work as one of her

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