CHINA - Lot 5

CHINA China, late Yuan, Ming period, Ink and colors on silk, mounted on paper, depicting a portrait of a noblewoman, seated in majesty on a throne. Her hieratic face is topped by a traditional headdress, her ears adorned with earrings. She is wearing a traditional garment indicating her social rank. Back label : - Trace of an old label with Chinese calligraphy "divine work". - Label with title of work "Seated Portrait of Old lady" Early yuan Dynasty. - S.L. No 3698.4 The Metropolitan Museum of Art LOAN EXHIBITION - The Corcoran Gallery of Art December 12, 1963 - February 2, 1964 The Corcoran Gallery was founded in the second half of the 19th century by American banker William Wilson Corcoran to promote and support American art in Washington. Silk wear, tears and folds. 140 x 82 cm N.B. This work is in the tradition of ancestor portraits from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. The frontal representation and hieratic posture of the female figure reinforce her authority and dignity. The neutral background refocuses attention on the subject, contributing to an impression of solemnity and timelessness. The face, grave and severe, commands respect and invites veneration of the ancestor. Similar portraits are kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing.