Worshiping the Ancestors: Chinese Commemorative Portraits

Published in conjunction with the June 2001 exhibition at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, this volume focuses on the Ming and Qing portraits that have recently been restored to their original brilliance by the museum's conservators. The text by Stuart (curator of Chinese art at the Sackler and Freer galleries) and Rawski (history, U. of Pittsburgh) explore the artistic, historical, and religious significance of the paintings and place them in context with other types of commemorative portraiture, a practice which continued into the 20th century until gradually replaced by photography. Beautifully illustrated in color and b&w. Oversize: 9.5x12.5