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Need help identifying the origin, era or art style of these painted mirrors. Any idea's?

The origin is Chinese, the subject matter is a 7th rank court official and his wife. Each is wearing a silver pheasant rank badge, and the court official is wearing a winter hat.

Reverse painting came rather late in the Qing dynasty, and paintings such as these are yet being created today.

Would the birds on the rank badges be facing one another?

Please take a close up photo of the officials face and additional photos of the garments.

Regards, Edward Shumaker

Here are some more detailed photos of the man

And here are more detailed photos of the woman

Wendy,

Thank you for the additional photos, as previously stated, this is a an Chinese official and his wife.

Normally the surcoat for the seventh and eight rank would be in blue, but the rank badge is designated to the 6th rank and depicts the fly-catcher.

Sorry, the birds of the late Qing can look alike on the rank badges, as I stated previously that it was a silver pheasant. The other problem is the hat finial, I believe it represents the saphire of the thrird rank.

The artist did not know the history of the rank system of the imperial court, therefore these paintings are modern.

I have uploaded for you some photos of the type 6th rank badge that the artist was trying to copy, along with a winter court hat depicting a saphire finial of the 3rd rank.

The information and photos are sourced from the book 'Ladder to the Clouds' intrique and tradition in Chinese rank, by Beverley Jackson and David Hugus, Ph.D.


Regards, Edward E. Shumaker

Wendy,

I do not disagree with Ed's comprehensive reply, but some general comments may help.

Aside from the medium of the mirror that this is painted on, the two portraits are part of a long tradition of Ancestor Portraits that were situated in the family home. Often the ancestor in question was portrayed as having rank above any actually achieved. Such portraits were usually on paper.

A western fad for reverse-painting on glass and on mirrors prompted some Chinese artists to take up that difficult genre for sale to Westerners as early as in the late 18th century, and the form continued into the late 19th century but not in large quantities at either end of the dating spectrum. These were generally bird-and-flower paintings, scenery, and general "chinoiserie," rather than individual portraits.

Another of the mixed-up rank symbols in your paintings is that both man and woman wear long necklaces in the artist's opinion of 'imperial yellow' color, which would not be permitted to any lower official (but the necklaces are correctly depicted as having the small side-strands).

Besides the mixed rank-signals in your portraits there are other clues. One is that the rank badges are painted backwards; the man's should have the bird facing toward his own right arm.

Another major clue is that your items appear (from the reflections in your newer photos) to be painted on the glass side of the mirrors rather than on the silvered side.

Best regards,
Judy

Wendy and All:
I agree with Ed's opinion:"The artist did not know the history of the rank system of the imperial court, therefore these paintings are modern."
Regards

Sinoart

Thank you both very much for your detailed responses. This is all very interesting, and I am amazed at all your knowledge. The photo below shows the back side of one of the mirrors. All paint is on the back side of the glass. How difficult it would seem to paint such a painting.

These paintings belong to my father, who obtained them many years ago (sometime in the 60's-?), from some antique-like store in downtown Seattle, and that's all I know. He is looking to get rid of them now, and I'm just trying to help get more info. on their origin and/or value.

Thanks again for your time and knowledge!

Wendy,

Your mention of a Seattle antiques store sets off warning bells. There was a dealer in fakes and frauds there that was finally shut down a couple of years ago.

Here is a link to some info.

Thanks, by the way, for clarifying that your works were in fact reverse-painted on the back. You are right that it is a difficult method. This may be why yours lack some detail that would be expected in portraits on other media.

Best regards,
Judy

URL Title :Fakes

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