Portraits of Emperors of Successive Dynasties

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Portraits of past emperors, displayed in the imperial ancestral temple, served an important function in state rituals. In Qing times, the veneration of former rulers by Manchu emperors served the additional purpose of confirming the Qing dynasty's legitimacy in the succession of China's ruling houses. These miniature portraits by the court artist Yao Wenhan are a typical product of the Qianlong Painting Academy. Based on earlier full-scale works, the albums may have been made as presentation pieces or as a handy reference showing China's most famous legendary and historical rulers. The pronounced use of shading in the depiction of many of the faces shows the influence of Western chiaroscuro modeling techniques introduced into China by Jesuit artists serving the Qing court.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art