AN IMPERIAL PORTRAIT QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY |

ink and pigments on silk, the elderly regal lady, possibly the wife of an imperial duke, seated on an elaborate lacquer chair, clad in ceremonial attire comprising a chestnut-colored full-length dragon robe (chao pao) under a blue-ground full-length sleeveless vest (chao gua) with dragons in profile and shou characters amidst auspicious emblems incorporating some of the twelve imperial emblems, with shoulder epaulettes projecting outwards and revealing a red-ground lining with gilt-thread peony embroidery, the noble brow below a court hat (chao guan) with a black brim and ornamented with gold phoenix, pearls, and stones, with eight pairs of earrings and three court necklaces (chaozhu), framed