1929.14: Portrait of a Seated Civil Official

Identification and Creation

Object Number

1929.14

Title

Portrait of a Seated Civil Official

Classification

Paintings

Work Type

hanging scroll, painting

Date

early 17th century

Places

Creation Place: East Asia, China

Period

Ming dynasty, 1368-1644

Culture

Chinese

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/206500

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and colors on silk

Dimensions

painting proper: H. 155.3 x W. 95.8 cm (61 1/8 x 37 11/16 in.)
mounting: H. 302.3 x W. 116.8 cm (119 x 46 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Dr. Denman W. Ross

Accession Year

1929

Object Number

1929.14

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

This hanging scroll depicts a seated gentleman dressed in the red robe of an official; emblazoned with two crested birds in flight amidst clouds, the so-called mandarin square, or badge of rank, indicates that he is a civil official. He sits in a magistrate's chair draped with silk brocade. Visible at the bottom, the lacquer chair shows scrolling designs carved through alternating layers of red and black lacquer. It has been suggested that this portrait may represent Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), a translator and associate of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), the Italian Jesuit priest active in China in the late Ming period. Although this scroll has long been catalogued as Korean­-indeed, it is related in style to Korean portraits of the Chosôn dynasty (1392-1910)­-it now seems more likely that it is Chinese.

Publication History

• Harvard University Art Museums, Harvard University Art Museums Annual Report 1997-98 (Cambridge, MA, 1999), p. 31

Exhibition History

• Later Chinese and Japanese Figure Painting in Decorative Arts, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 02/22/1992 - 06/07/1992
• The Arts of Korea, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 07/11/1992 - 01/31/1993
• Paragons of Wisdom and Virtue: East Asian Figure Painting, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 02/15/1997 - 09/21/1997
• 32Q: 2600 East Asian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 12/01/2016 - 06/09/2017

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