Portrait of a Manchu Prince

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Gu Jianlong completed this portrait after he became a court painter or “painter-in-waiting” for Emperor Shunzhi (reigned 1644–61) at the royal palace in Beijing. In its attention to fine detail, this portrait reflects the opulence of Gu’s surroundings at court. His sitter, a Manchu prince, sits on a gold lacquer chair wearing a blue court robe embroidered with a large four-clawed dragon on the chest; on the robe’s skirt, small dragons race over multicolored waves, clouds, water. His red hat has a gold filigree ornament studded with pearls and a large ruby finial. He looks directly at the viewer, holding his necklace of coral and large crystal beads delicately in his left hand. In contrast to the garment rendered with bold outlines and vibrant colors, the facial features, including individual characteristics such as angular eyebrows, a broad nose, and gray hair, are subtly shaped through multiple layers of muted color washes. Gu also incorporated Western methods such as shading to carefully depict the sitter’s face and enhance the lifelike appearance.

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