Portrait of a gentleman, possibly the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795)

The Qianglong Emperor was noted for dressing as various professionals. In the painting here, a young scholar poses in the woods. He wears a fancy hat and casual robe and holds a blank book. In contrast, the sculpture features a middle-aged Buddhist priest carrying prayer beads. Both figures may represent the emperor, or were created after the style of his informal portraits.

Portraits were particularly important in the court of the Qianlong Emperor. Under his sponsorship, Chinese painters and Jesuit missionaries trained in painting promoted a hybrid style that used Chinese materials and techniques while incorporating European anatomic and shading elements. Compare the Qianlong Emperor’s close-up made in Euro-Chinese style below with the more Chinese depictions in this case.