Ancestor Painting, Grandfather Official in Scarlet colour-brown The original black lacquer finish

The original black lacquer finish is largely intact

With bevelled glass

The spinning wheel is thought to have been invented in China around 1000 AD

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

has some nice decorative elements

Ancestor Painting, Grandfather Official in Scarlet colour-brown The original black lacquer finishAncestor 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