Portrait of a Civil Official

This frontal view of a seated man in a symmetrical setting represents a standard type in formal Chinese portraiture. Painted portraits such as this were executed with a living person as the sitter, or based on a work completed during the person’s lifetime; after the subject’s death, the portrait would be hung on the wall behind an altar set with tablets of ancestors’ names, along with incense burners, ritual vessels, and any offerings favored by the person. Every year on the anniversary of the person’s passing, family members would kneel in front of the altar to worship and present offerings to their ancestors.

The costume the official wears exemplifies a standard style of insignia uniform worn by Ming civil servants. The rank was indicated by materials, colors, and motifs used for hat, robe, and belt. In adherence with traditional protocols governing dress, the male official here is fully clothed, with only face and hands showing. Individual details, such as the dark red robe with a golden phoenix insignia, the two-winged black hat, and the tortoise shell-patterned belt, identify him as a fourth-grade civil official.