Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Lang Shining, et al., "Portrait of the Imperial Concubine of the Pure Hui Emperor"
Imperial Title: "Pure Hui Emperor Concubine"
Colored silk frames
198 x 123cm
On October 7, 2015, Sotheby's Hong Kong held a gavel at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center for the autumn 2015 auction of "Daya Grace - Portrait of a Queen Concubine of the Qing Dynasty". Among them, Lang Shining and other works "Portrait of the Imperial Concubine of Chunhui" started at HK$38 million, and after several rounds of bidding, they finally fell for HK$121 million, plus commission for HK$137.4 million.
A portrait of a concubine is so valuable, if you collect the works of more than a dozen imperial concubines, how much real gold and silver should be there!
"Heart Writing Zhiping Tu", also known as "Qianlong Emperor Concubine Picture Scroll", is 52.9 cm high and 688.3 cm long. Originally in the Yuanmingyuan, it is now in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The text description at the time of the exhibition of the scroll reads: "In the first year of Qianlong (1736), Lang Shining and others were painted as portraits of the Qianlong Emperor, empresses, and eleven concubines. Among them, the emperor, empress, and concubine were painted by Lang Shining, the remaining seven were painted by Lang Shining's disciples, and the last three were continued by court painters. ”
Lang Shining was a court painter from Italy, the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty came to China as a Catholic Jesuit monk in 1715, and then entered the palace and entered the Ruyi Pavilion, became a court painter of the Qing Dynasty, participated in the design of the Western-style building of the Yuanmingyuan, successively served in the Kang, Yong and Qian dynasties, and engaged in painting in China for more than 50 years.
However, in Qianlong's eyes, although Lang Shining was the "elder of the Three Dynasties", he always did not understand the rules, because this "foreign courtier" always wrote to ask for a portrait of himself. In the traditional concept of the ancients, it was quite taboo to paint portraits. According to the Chinese tradition, portraits were to be placed on the throne of the gods for sacrifice, in other words, only the dead were to paint portraits. Qianlong was therefore very reluctant to listen to Lang Shining's advice.
In order to open the heart knot of the Qianlong Emperor, Lang Shining persuaded him with the example that European monarchs would let the painters paint portraits of themselves and hang them in the main hall for the world to see, and said that the Qing Dynasty was in the prosperous world, the world was at peace, if Qianlong could paint portraits and let the whole world see the imperial majesty, wouldn't it make the four kingdoms more comfortable.
When Qianlong heard this, he finally made up his mind to let Lang Shining also paint portraits for himself. After careful preparation, the Qianlong Emperor put on a brand new dragon robe and sat on a dragon chair to act as a "mannequin" for Lang Shining. After the portrait was completed, Qianlong carefully examined the portrait and felt that the painting was wise and divine, and the instrument was extraordinary, which really painted the majesty of the monarch of the Qing Dynasty. Subsequently, he also asked Lang Shining to paint a total of twelve of his empresses and concubines, and form a set of "Qianlong and Empress Dowager Scrolls" for the Qing Palace to treasure and be admired by future generations.
After the completion of the complete set of scrolls, the Qianlong Emperor did not hang it for the world to see according to Lang Shining's ideas, but ordered the eunuch Haosheng of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to treasure it and occasionally take it out of the rosewood box for his own appreciation. In fact, the Qianlong Emperor only saw it three times in his lifetime, that is, when the painting was completed, when he was seventy years old and when he abdicated. According to legend, after Qianlong saw this painting, he immediately sealed the painting in a box, and decreed that anyone who eavesdropped on this painting would be executed.
What the Qianlong Emperor thought in his heart, we don't know, perhaps in the era of strict feudal etiquette, the Qianlong Emperor, even as a monarch, did not have the courage to challenge the ideas that had been imprisoned for hundreds of thousands of years!
Today, we have the privilege of seeing a portrait of the emperor that he has only seen three times in his lifetime. A closer look reveals that these true portraits, from the meticulous depiction of clothing colors and top-wear ornaments, reveal the differences in the status of these figures in the court.
The Qianlong Emperor wore a winter crown, a red ribbon top, a sea dragon leather hat, and a large pearl at the top of the crown; dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, and the leader was offered a stone blue satin embroidered multicolored cloud golden dragon, plus a sea dragon leather collar.
The queen wears a winter crown, with a sea dragon leather hat brim, a crown top of one eastern bead; earrings on the left and right, each golden dragon rank first class East pearl two, dressed in a bright yellow eight regiment dragon robe, stone green satin leader embroidered with colorful cloud golden dragon, plus sea dragon leather collar.
The noble concubine wears a winter crown, a sea dragon leather hat brim, a crown top dongzhu one, earrings such as the queen, with a second-class dongzhu; wearing a leather collar bright yellow satin embroidered cloud golden dragon eight groups of winter dragon robes, the leader is a stone blue satin embroidered multicolored cloud golden dragon.
The concubine wears a winter crown, a sea embroidered hat brim, a top ornament of the East Pearl, earrings such as a noble concubine, with a third-class East Pearl; dressed in a golden satin embroidered multicolored cloud golden dragon eight groups of winter dragon robes, the leaders are all stone blue satin embroidered cloud golden dragon, sea dragon leather collar.
The concubine wears a crown of a kimono, a sea dragon hat brim, a crown top brim, a crown crown decorated with a dongzhu one, ear ornaments such as a concubine, with a fourth-class dongzhu, dressed in fragrant satin embroidered cloud golden dragon, sea dragon leather collar.
The order of the twelve concubines is: Empress, Concubine, Concubine, Concubine, Concubine, Concubine, Concubine
Empress Xiaoxian (1712-1748), the original wife of the Qianlong Emperor, of the Fucha clan, was a Manchurian yellow flag bearer. His father, Li Rongbao, was the governor of Chahar, and his younger brother was Fu Heng, a co-founder of the university.
Guifei (unknown - 1745), also known as the Huixian Emperor's noble concubine Gao Shi, a university scholar Gao Bin's daughter, was initially wrapped in clothes and later entered Manchuria with a yellow flag.
ChunFei (1713-1760), also known as The Noble Concubine Su of the Chunhui Emperor, also known as the Su Jia Clan, was the daughter of Su Zhaonan.
Jia Fei (1713-1755), also known as the Shujia Emperor's noble concubine Jin Shi, was the daughter of the Three Baos of the Shangsi Yuan, and the sister of the official Shangshu Jin Jian. At first, he was subordinate to the Han Army Banner of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and later became a clothed person with the Yellow Banner, and was given the surname Jin Jia.
Concubine Ling (1727-1775), posthumously honored Empress Xiaoyi of the Wei clan, was the head of the Qing Dynasty, who was originally a leader of the Han Army's Zhenghuang Banner. The clan entered Manchuria with a yellow flag and was called Wei Jia.
Princess Shu (1728-1777), of the Yehenara clan, was a Manchurian Yellow Bannerman, a servant of Yongsui and a great-granddaughter of Naran Mingzhu.
Qing Concubine (1724-1774), also known as The Noble Concubine of the Qinggong Emperor, Lu Shilong.) Later, because Emperor Renzong (Jiaqing) was bowed by a concubine when he was young, he was well-nurtured, and was no different from his birth mother, so the funeral ceremony was very solemn, and he was posthumously promoted to the title of Noble Concubine of The Qinggong Emperor.
Ying Concubine (1731-1800), of the Balin clan, Mongols, and Mongols, was the daughter of Du Tong and the daughter of the Light Vehicle Du Wei Na.
Concubine Xin, year of birth unknown, died in the twenty-ninth year of Qianlong (1764), and was posthumously awarded the title of noble concubine. That is, the Xin Noble Concubine Dai Jiashi, the Manchurian Yellow BannerMan, and the Governor Nasutu Nun.
Concubine Huan (1746-1806), of the Wang clan, was the daughter of the Manchurian Zhengbai Banner people, and the daughter of Du Tong. His daughters were Gu Lun and Princess Xiao, who married and concubine Yinde.
Shunfei (1748-1788) of the Niuhulu clan, that is, the Niuhulu clan, who was demoted to the Shungui, was the daughter of the governor OfEbida.
Concubine Xun (1758-1797), Ilgen JueLuoshi, Manchurian blue flagrant, viceroy of Guilin.
The concubine women on the scroll have different times of entering the palace, and their status is different, so the order of arrangement should also be reasonable. However, the above names are the titles at the time of the portrait, not their final grade. For example, Concubine Ling was posthumously honored as Empress Xiaoyi Chun; concubines were posthumously honored as imperial concubines, and after their deaths, they were given the title of "Huixian Emperor Guifei"; pure concubines and concubines were both promoted to imperial concubines before their deaths; Concubine Qing was posthumously promoted to Qinggong Emperor Guifei; Concubine Shun was eventually demoted to Shungui, and Concubine Ying, Concubine Xin, and Concubine Xun were all eventually promoted to noble concubines.
These portraits now appear to be identical, despite slight changes in clothing, and their faces. Although it seems that they are all the same face, the author is familiar with the anatomy, the face of the character is slightly light and dark, the facial features are very clear, and the nose, nose wings and cheek parts are rendered with color, showing a three-dimensional effect, and accurately depicting the structure of muscles and skin.