Ancestor Painting, Grandfather Official in Scarlet colour-brown rounded top rail and decorative

rounded top rail and decorative carved apron

looks beautiful at the end of a bed and is strong enough to provide additional seating

The top rails are curved in a style typical of Shanxi chairs

This striking cabinet is from the central province of Shaanxi and made from elm

With bevelled glass

Ancestor Painting, Grandfather Official in Scarlet colour-brown rounded top rail and decorativeAncestor portraits like this one formed an important part of the Chinese practice of ancestor worship. The family had a duty to honour and commemorate their ancestors, with rituals and offerings being an important part of this. Portraits were usually near life size and painted from a front perspective, with the subjects usually seated and wearing robes to show the insignia of their rank. Original ancestor paintings are now rare and highly sought