The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Ancestor Group Portrait

Ancestor Group Portrait

1796–1820
(1644-1911), Jiaqing period (1796-1820)
Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper
Overall: 278.2 x 112.2 cm (109 1/2 x 44 3/16 in.); Painting only: 157.2 x 90.2 cm (61 7/8 x 35 1/2 in.)
Gift of Joyce G. Ames in honor of her husband B. Charles Ames 2019.82
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Court officials' wives could wear the same rank badge as their spouses.

Description

From top to bottom this scroll features various generations of ancestors with men on the right and women on the left, 30 figures altogether. Inscribed tablets give their rank and relation within the family. Square badges on their robes indicate each figure's rank as an official. Scrolls of this type were displayed for worship at home during the New Year celebrations.
  • c. 2001
    (Christian Lemanissier, Terres D'Ailleurs, Paris, France, sold to B. Charles Ames and Joyce G. Ames)
    c. 2001–2019
    B. Charles (Chuck) Ames and Joyce (Jay) Grace Ames, Hunting Valley, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2019–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Von Spee, Clarissa and Yi-Hsia, Hsiao. “Facing the Ancestors.” Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine 59, no. 5 (September/October 2019): 14-15. Reproduced and Mentioned: P. 14-15.
    Spee, Clarissa von, and Yi-Hsia Hsiao. "Facing the ancestors." The Asian Art Newspaper: Monthly for Collectors, Dealers, Museums and Galleries 23, no. 2 (Winter 2019): 10. Reproduction and mentioned p. 10
  • Facing the Ancestors: Chinese Portraits and Figure Painting – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 12, 2019-February 2, 2020).
  • {{cite web|title=Ancestor Group Portrait|url=false|author=|year=1796–1820|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2019.82