Polychrome Seated Ancestor Figure

c. 1800
$680 USD
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Dimensions
W: 4.5" D: 2.5" H: 9.75"
Materials
Pigment
Wood
Purchase Quantity
Collection #
CMRC038
Estimated Shipping
$25

An integral part of traditional Chinese home life, ancestor worship before a domestic altar often featured painted ancestral portraits or tabletop ancestor figures. This early 19th-century ancestor figure was carefully hand-carved and painted to bear the likeness of one of its original owner's important forebears. The figure depicts a seated male official dressed in flowing robes. The polychromed finish has worn considerably over time for a beautiful, weathered texture. The small compartment in the back was used to hold consecration materials, such as a small paper scroll bearing a hand-written prayer.

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