Harvard Art Museums > 1929.14: Portrait of a Seated Civil Official Paintings Collections Search Exit Deep Zoom Mode Zoom Out Zoom In Reset Zoom Full Screen Add to Collection Order Image Copy Link Copy Citation Citation"Portrait of a Seated Civil Official , 1929.14,” Harvard Art Museums collections online, Nov 21, 2024, https://hvrd.art/o/206500. Reuse via IIIF Toggle Deep Zoom Mode Download This object does not yet have a description. Identification and Creation Object Number 1929.14 Title Portrait of a Seated Civil Official Classification Paintings Work Type painting, hanging scroll 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 The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request. 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 Verification Level This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
