Need Help Translating Scroll
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Jbradcar -
Hi a few years ago I purchased this scroll from a chinese antique store, the woman working there
told me that it is a hand painted scroll from somewhere around 1900, I have no clue what any of
the characters on the scroll mean because i cannot read any chinese, could anyone tell me what
they mean and more about the scroll
This first picture is of the front of the scroll
http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scroll1uw5.jpg
This next picture is of the characters at the top of the scroll
http://img112.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scroll2nl5.jpg
Right under that text is a very faint stamp, I took the picture and attempted to trace it in
photoshop
http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scroll3sx9.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scroll4zl5.jpg
Finally on the back of the scroll I found this
http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scroll5kh7.jpg
Any help or information on this scroll is greatly appreciated
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YangDizi -
The portrait is of the the Qing (清)-dynasty (1644-1911) emperor Huang Taiji
(皇太極／皇太极) or the Emperor Taizong (太宗), also commonly referred to as Hong Taiji
(洪太極／洪太极). The characters above the portrait read, "Taizong, Huang Taiji". Huang
Taiji lived between 1592 and 1643. Huang Taiji ruled as emperor of the Qing from 1626 until his
death. (The dates I give for the Qing dynasty above are those which are generally recognised; the
discrepancy between the start date of 1644 and Huang Taiji's lifetime reflect the fact that 1644
is regarded as the true start of the dynasty since this is when the Qing finally overthrew the
Ming 明 dynasty (1638-1644) and hence held the Mandate of Heaven (天命); the Qing dynasty had,
however, been declared prior to the fall of the Ming.
The seal on the portrait reads, "[Personally and] Imperially Viewed by Qianlong"
(乾隆禦覽／乾隆御览). Qianlong (乾隆), also an emperor of the Qing (reigned
1736–1796) is celebrated as a great patron of the visual and plastic arts. He used a seal
reading "[Personally and] Imperially Viewed by Qianlong" (乾隆禦覽／乾隆御览), amongst
others, to indicate his approval of a painting or piece of calligraphy, and, by extension, that
the work of art was genuine. However, this by no means suggests that your painting is genuine.
Despite Qianlong's patronage of the arts and his renown as a connoisseur, many of the paintings in
his imperial collection were copies or fabrications in the style of famous painters. The seal on
the painting, therefore, is no indication that it is not a copy of an imperial portrait.
It is also possible, dare I say likely, that the seal on your painting is itslef a copy of
Qianlong's seal. (I cannot comment on the fidelity of the impression on your painting with that
from the original or on works acknowledged to bear an impression from the genuine seal as the Qing
is not my period and such declarations are well beyond my expertise). The practice of copying a
painting - including seals and inscriptions - was common throughout the history of Chinese visual
arts from the time that art became a commodity representing social status (wealth, political
authority etc).
To authenticate your painting would require the expertise of a true connoisseur who would take
into account the nature of the media (paper/silk, pigments) and, in the case of the painting you
have, such evidence as the seal impressions. It is more than possible that one connoisseur might
authenticate your painting with great authority and a second would declare it a fake/copy with
equal authority (authentication is itself an art and not a science). It may be that there are
references to this portrait in the art historical literature (imperial catalogues such as the Qing
imperial catalogue Shiqu baoji (石渠寳笈／石渠宝笈）but such appearances in the
literature are not to be taken as an indication of authenticity. The Shiqu baoji is notorious for
its errors and inclusion of counterfeit works, and the extensive literature detailing works of art
(particularly calligraphy and painting) is a blessing both to the art historian/connoisseur and to
the would-be forger.
For information, the scrawl on the back of your scroll reads, "Huang Taiji
(皇太極／皇太极)".
skylee -
The 5 characters in the first picture are 太宗皇太極. They refer to the name of the
first/second [depending on how you count] emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The first two
characters are the posthumous (or temple) name. The last 3 characters are the name of the emperor.
On the faint stamp are 4 characters - 乾隆御覽 - inspected by his Majesty the emperor
Qianlong, who was the great great grandson of the emperor in the picture.
The three characters on the back are 皇太極, again the name of the emperor in the picture.
The portrait is a replica. Looks like the original is in the Palace Museum in Shenyang, China. (PS
looks like actually it is in the Palace Museum in Beijing ->
http://www.dpm.org.cn/Big5/phoweb/as....asp?objid=451)
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