Page 63 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

Western, the portrait itself completely contradicts this notion. In this example, the

painting was completed by a Western artist in a Western oil medium and utilized

techniques, such as a linear perspective and chiaroscuro, that were directly associated

with Western painting styles. The portrait entirely confronts the negative criticisms

facing Cixi within the West and addresses them head on. Examples like this one indicate

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the intellect with which Cixi approached her artistic patronage. It was not simply

patronage of objects she was aesthetically attracted to, but a demonstrative symbol of her

far-reaching power.

Even within China, Cixi carefully manipulated her patronage to take full

advantage of each work. Artwork was a vessel that was highly visible and able to hold

embedded semiotic value. While the previously examined portrait of Cixi had a distinct

meaning for a Western audience, it had an entirely different connotation within the Qing

court. The painting included the small square seal of the Guangxu Emperor located along

the left border. At the time of the painting, Guangxu had been removed from power by

Cixi. Despite the tension that must have existed between Guangxu and Cixi, she included

his seal on the work, visually announcing his direct support of Cixi’s supreme power

within China. Yet another aspect of the commissioned portrait that denotes Cixi’s

acceptance of the modern era is the fact that the portrait was meant to be publically

viewed. Traditionally, within the Qing court the common man would never be allowed to

44 Another portrait of Cixi by Dutch-born painter Hubert Vos (1855-1935) held by the Harvard
Art Museum entitled H.I.M., the Empress Dowager of China, Cixi (1835-1908), shares
similarities to Carl’s portrait. In his representation he recorded that the empress placed numerous
demands in regards to the paintings style including a lack of shadows around the eyes and a wide
upturned mouth. This resulted in a portrait that was aesthetically appealing to Cixi, rather than a
work that was realistic.

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