The Illustrated Portraits of Ancient Virtuous Women

The Illustrated Portraits of Ancient Virtuous Women beautifully reflects the symbolic principles of traditional painting. The size of the figures corresponds to their social status or symbolic importance. The composition of the artwork is static yet compelling, resembling an image index accompanying the detailed inscription on its left side.

Northern Wei (386-535). Lacquer painting on Screen. 80cm*20cm each piece. Unearthed in tomb of Sima Jinlong, Datong, Shanxi Province. Collection of the Shanxi Datong Cultural Relics Management Committee.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.