Portraits of the Qianlong Emperor and His Twelve Consorts

1736–c. 1770s

Giuseppe Castiglione

Giuseppe Castiglione (Italian, 1688–1766)

Chinese Art

Portraits of the Qianlong Emperor and His Twelve Consorts, 1736–c. 1770s. Giuseppe Castiglione (Italian, 1688–1766), and others (Chinese). Handscroll, ink and color on silk; overall: 53.8 x 1154.5 cm (21 3/16 x 454 1/2 in.); painting only: 53 x 688.3 cm (20 7/8 x 271 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1969.31 Lingfei 令妃 (1727–1775), the first consort depicted in the maroon or “incense-colored" 香色 robe, was the mother of six of Qianlong’s children, including the future Emperor Jiaqing.

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Castiglione, Giuseppe
Classification: Painting
Formatted Medium: Handscroll, ink and color on silk
Medium: handscroll, ink, color, silk
Dimensions: Overall: 53.8 x 1154.5 cm (21 3/16 x 454 1/2 in.); Painting only: 53 x 688.3 cm (20 7/8 x 271 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: 9 seals of the Qianlong emperor (r. 1736-95). Inscription: The eighth month, first year of Qianlong [1736] 乾隆元年八月吉日. The Empress (Xiaoxian) 皇后 (1712-1748), The Guifei (Huixian) 貴妃 (?-1745), Chunfei 純妃 (1713-1760), Jiafei 嘉妃 (?-1755), Lingfei 令妃 (1727-1775), Shufei 舒妃 (1728-1777), Qingbin 慶嬪 (1724-1774), Yingbin 穎嬪 (1731-1800), Xinbin 忻嬪 (?-1764), Dunfei 惇妃 (1746-1806), Xunfei 順妃 (1749-1788), Shunbin 循嬪 (?-1797). Remark: The inscription dates Qianlong’s portrait to an auspicious day in the eight month, the first year of Qianlong (1736). He was twenty-six years old and had ascended the throne only a year earlier, following the death of his father the Yongzheng Emperor. None of the wives was older than 20 at the time she was painted.
Departments: Chinese Art
Accession Number: 1969.31
Credit Line: John L. Severance Fund
Exhibitions: Year in Review: 1969, Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting, Portraiture: The Image of the Individual, The Twain Shall Meet, Powerful Form and Potent Symbol: The Dragon in Asia, Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art, Art Under Emperor Ch'ien-lung, Silent Poetry: Masterworks of Chinese Painting, <em>Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 242)</em>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (November 21, 2013-July 28, 2014).
Rights Statement: CC0