Page 59 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

The women Cixi recruited for the Studio of Great Elegance instructed the empress

dowager in painting techniques, calligraphic penmanship, and painted works on her

behalf. The paintings that these artists completed for Cixi were often then signed with

Cixi’s imperial seal, becoming what is considered the work of a “ghost painter.” These

ghost painters’ names are often not included in the historic records. An examination of

the works in question often results in clues that could identify whether a particular piece

is the work of a trained painter or the empress dowager herself. Faint outlines can often

be seen on calligraphic lines, indicating that Cixi may have just followed a pre-

established form for guidance. Other works expose shaky lines, unusual configurations,

or a whimsical touch, which indicates that the empress dowager rather than a formally

trained artist actually painted the scene. With more than 700 known works attributed to

the empress dowager, it is impossible to establish how many of these works her team of

ghost painters, as opposed to the empress dowager herself, produced. Many scholars

have questioned whether or not Cixi was an artist in her own right. Some sources have

concluded that Cixi was simply surrounded by talented court artists who worked based on

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her commissions. Regardless of the actual artist behind each work, the paintings
associated with Cixi’s reign are united by patronage, ultimately resulting in the empress

dowager being the final artistic voice behind each piece.

41 Warner, Dragon Empress: The Life and Times of Tz’u-Hsi Empress Dowager of China 1835-
1908, 162. It was said that at one time the Empress Cixi had eighteen artists attending to her
painting needs, this could indicate Cixi may not have possessed any individualized artistic talent.
Many of these court artists were members of the Ruyiguan (As You Wish Lodge) within the
Forbidden City, where these individuals were solely responsible for supplying Cixi with painted
pictures and calligraphy.

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