Large Pair of 19th Century Chinese Framed Ancestor Portraits

Hand-Painted on silk, Chinese households honor their ancestors in private family rituals, invoking their spirits for long life, health, and prosperity. Commemorative portraits, which...

Pair of charming 19th-century Chinese export reverse glass and mirror paintings, depicting two noblewomen within an interior setting with the typical Chinese Traditional customs and ...

This listing is for a beautiful pair of 2 large Chinese Export Gouache (watercolor) Paintings on paper from the mid-19th century of the Qing Dyn...

A large charming late 19th-century to early 20th-century, Chinese export reverse mirror painting, depicting a lady setting in her library. The ...

Early 20th century pair of Chinese ancestral paintings in custom frames. Nice antique pair with vibrant colors in wood and gilt frames, in...

Deeply rooted in the belief that ancestors continue to guide and protect their descendants, many Chinese families pay homage to their departed loved ones through private rituals, see...

Believing that the departed continue to hold influence over the lives of the living, many Chinese households honor their ancestors in private family rituals, invoking their spirits for long life, health, and prosperity. Commemorative portraits, which came into vogue in the late Ming and Qing dynasties, were commissioned specifically for ancestor worship and were believed to house the spirits of the deceased. When properly cared for, one's ancestors were believed to be a powerful source of honor, protection, and good luck. This pair of ancestor portraits was hand-painted in the late-19th century and beautifully depicts a Qing-dynasty couple. While some ancestral portraits offer a more stylized representation of one's ancestors, this particular pair is painted with incredible realism and life-like expressions. Rather than depict the pair in a regal hall wearing elaborate finery, the couple is shown in a quiet home environment, seated at either end of a square tea table. Their surroundings are minimal, practically undecorated, and they wear simple, matching blue silk robes. Two young children stand beside them, each trying to capture the attention of their grandparent. We love the painting's close attention to detail and the glimpse it offers of Qing-dynasty interiors - from the carved apron of the marble-top table to the red silk lotus slippers...

A nice pair of Chinese ancestor family group portraits, 19th century, on paper, framed in teak frames under glass. Twelve characters total in per...