Antique Chinese Ancestor Scroll Painting - Hand Painted on Silk.
A beautifully painted example of an ancestor scroll portrait of an Imperial family member and official. The painting is in very good condition considering it's age and the colours are still very bright.
These were were painted to be revered after the person had passed away. They almost always depict the deceased in their finest robes, seated on an elaborate chair with their feet on a foot stall. It was very important to ensure an exact likeness, as it was said that if there was even one small mistake, the prayers and offerings for the ancestors would be misdirected to someone else, resulting in tragedy for the family.
The blue robes denote they are member of the Imperial family. Bright imperial yellow was reserved for the Emperor himself and other shades of yellow for the Crowned Prince and other Princes, Green for military leaders.
The square 'rank badges' are used to indicate the rank of higher-level military and civil officials. Birds were used for civil officials, see the crane in this photo, and Animals were used for military officials.
Collection only from Brighton, BN2.
Size of scroll: 190cms x 75cms
Painting size: 115cms x 56cms