Silk painting with female figure, dragon and phoenix patterns

Silk painting with female figure, dragon and phoenix patterns

Excavated in 1949 from Tomb of Chu State during the Warring States, Chenjiashan, Changsha, Hunan Province
Simplicity and profoundness are represented in this silk painting. There are three parts in the painting, the upper part, the middle part and the bottom part. In the upper part, there is a dragon and a phoenix. The phoenix unfolds its wings and is ready to soar while the dragon with two horns winds through the sky. In the middle part, a noble woman with a hair-bun, a slender waist, wide sleeves and a long dress is painted. With folded hands, she is inferred to be the image of the tomb occupant. In the bottom part, there is an object like the crescent moon, which is presumed to be the spiritual canoe delivering the soul of the deceased to heaven. The lines drawing in traditional ink and brush style is the major technique, showing great naturalness and smoothness. It is of great artistic expressive force. This is one of the earliest and best preserved portraits found in China.