Ancestor Painting, Grandfather Official in Scarlet colour-brown The top rails are curved

The top rails are curved in a style typical of Shanxi chairs

has some nice decorative elements

rounded top rail and decorative carved apron

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

These extraordinary

Ancestor Painting, Grandfather Official in Scarlet colour-brown The top rails are curvedAncestor 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