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Portrait of the artist’s great-granduncle Yizhai at the age of eighty-five

Ruan Zude Chinese
dated 1561 or 1621
Not on view
This portrait was made to celebrate the eighty-fifth birthday of the sitter, who is identified in the inscription as the artist’s great granduncle Yizhai. Portraits of couples were sometimes made on milestone birthdays of the husband; while the couple lived, the paintings allowed the family to celebrate them, and after their deaths the images could be repurposed for ritual veneration. The features of the man in this portrait are beautifully characterized—his high cheekbones, pursed lips, and gentle gaze communicate a sense of kindness and the wisdom of age.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 明　阮祖德　抑齋曾叔祖八十五齡壽像　軸
  • Title: Portrait of the artist’s great-granduncle Yizhai at the age of eighty-five
  • Artist: Ruan Zude (Chinese, 16th or early 17th century)
  • Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
  • Date: dated 1561 or 1621
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
  • Dimensions: Image: 61 3/4 x 37 7/8 in. (156.8 x 96.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Seymour Fund, 1959
  • Object Number: 59.49.1
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

Audio

Cover Image for 7609. Portrait of the Artist's Great-Granduncle Yizhai at the Age of Eighty-Five

7609. Portrait of the Artist's Great-Granduncle Yizhai at the Age of Eighty-Five

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