Ancestor sculpture; China, Qing dynasty, 18th century.
Carved and polychromed wood.
The carving and polychromy are damaged.
Measurements: 21.5 x 10.6 x 8 cm.
Round figure carved in wood and polychrome representing a seated ancestor. Under the Qing, inherited art forms flourished and innovations took place on many levels and in many types. High levels of literacy, a successful publishing industry, thriving cities and a Confucian emphasis on cultivation nurtured a lively and creative set of cultural fields. By the end of the 19th century, the national artistic and cultural worlds had begun to reconcile with the cosmopolitan culture of the West and Japan. The decision to remain within the old forms or to welcome Western models was now a conscious choice rather than an unquestioning acceptance of tradition. Classically trained Confucian scholars. The Qing emperors were generally skilled in poetry and often skilled in painting, and offered their patronage to Confucian culture.