Page 91 - Bonhams Chinese Scholar's Art March 2014

8136

8136
Anonymous, A Portrait of a Royal Lady
19th century

Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk.
70 1/4 x 41in (178.4 x 104cm)
$100,000 - 150,000

無款 清朝皇室肖像 設色絹本 立軸

Provenance: being a bannerwoman, and whitened face and dot of red on the lower lip
acquired in China by an American missionary family before 1945 and are typical of the make-up trends of elite women within the court. Around
thence by descent to the present through a private family collection her neck is a torque (lingyue), inlaid with coral and Manchurian pearls,
an accessory of Manchu women. The torque has five visible pearls of a
Although the identity of the sitter is currently not known, numerous clues in presumptive seven, less than the eleven that would have been worn by a
the painting point to an individual of high status within the imperial lineage. full empress. Over the lavishly painted robes are the required three strands
Wearing the full court dress and jewelry of a titled lady, she is dressed in her of her court necklace, crossing at center front, likely made of coral and jade
winter robes, with the shoulder cape, collar, cuffs, hem and hat trimmed beads. The long green kerchief (caishui) here with a floral motif, was an
with strips of sea otter fur. The hat is further adorned with three gold essential part of formal court regalia as dictated by the Huangchao liqi tushi
filigree and kingfisher feather phoenix decorated with pearls denoting her first written in 1759, and another aspect of her clothing that points to the
status as a princess or consort. The three earrings in each ear point to her sitters position within the inner circles of the palace.

Chinese Art from the Scholars Studio | 89