Official of the Fourth Rank thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Official of the Fourth Rank

Painting
c.1795 (made)
Place of origin

Painting depicting a central figure on plain ground. The figure wears a navy blue robe with an embrouidered medallion detail on the chets. They wear a long string of beads around their neck and brish their left arm with their right. Above the figure are two lines of text, one in Chinese characters, the second an English translation. The translation reads; Fourth order, Head of Imperial House.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleOfficial of the Fourth Rank
Materials and techniques
Watercolours on paper
Brief description
Painting, watercolours on paper, Guangzhou, China, c.1795
Physical description
Painting depicting a central figure on plain ground. The figure wears a navy blue robe with an embrouidered medallion detail on the chets. They wear a long string of beads around their neck and brish their left arm with their right. Above the figure are two lines of text, one in Chinese characters, the second an English translation. The translation reads; Fourth order, Head of Imperial House.
Dimensions
  • Height: 19.2cm
  • Width: 11cm
  • Height: 19.1cm
Album length 19.6cm, album width 12.2cm, album height 1.5cm.
Object history
The inscription on the sheet is innaccurate, it should read 'Fourth Rank, Prefect of Guangzhou (i.e., Canton).
This painting is one of twenty-eight from an album depicting the costumes of various chinese officials, tradesmen, soldiers and artisans. The whole series is numbered D.895-1898 to D.922-1989.
Purchased from E. Parsons & Sons, accessioned in 1898. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Subjects depicted
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
D.898-1898

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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