A LARGE QING DYNASTY PAINTING DEPICTING A MANCHU LADY

Ink, watercolor, gouache and gold-color on paper, mounted on fabric coated paper, wooden scroll handles
China, Qing dynasty

Depiction of a seated Manchu lady in festive garment. The beautiful woman wears an intricate robe and precious jewelry such as white and apple green jadeite ornaments at her belt or Mandarin necklace. She also wears a white jade bangle. Her robe shows an intricately four-clawed dragon motif, a square rank badge at the chest, and we can see it is fitted with Hermine. At her precious crown with dangling ornaments are the Chinese characters 'Fengtiang Gaoming'(= imperial edict by command of heaven). Another interesting feature of this artwork is the meticulous painting of the carpet as we can even see the Peking knot stitches.

Inscribed on a gold colored label at the scroll (=translated from Chinese) 'Imperial Honoring - Mother Zhang Yiren - the son will keep with respect'. Backside bearing inscription 'Chang Jen Mandarin Woman'as well as other collector codes.

Shape: Rectangular vertical shape
Dimensions: 255 x 79,5 cm (total size), 120 x 61(size of the painting)
Condition: Painting with tears, creases, and minor material loss, mounting shows tears and creases as well
Provenance: Old Austrian Private collection, assembled in the 1930s to early 1950s

Literature comparison: Christie's, European Noble and Private Collections, 13 - 14 December 2011, Amsterdam, lot 483. (for a comparable court lady portrayal)

清代水墨設色祖宗像《誥封宜人顯繼妣》
品相與年代相符，有水跡、輕微材料缺失、裝裱部分有鬆散
奧地利私人老收藏，上世紀三十年代至五十年代間購入