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“H. I. M., the Empress Dowager of China, Cixi” by Hubert Vos (Dutch American) - Oil on canvas / 1905-1906 - Fogg Museum, Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge, Massachusetts) #WomenInArt #art #慈禧太后 #artText #portraitofawoman #HubertVos #Vos #FoggMuseum #artwork #bskyart #royalty #Chinese #HarvardArtMuseums
The painting "H. I. M., (Her Imperial Majesty) the Empress Dowager of China, Cixi" is a portrait of the powerful and influential Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) in late Qing dynasty of China. She rose from being a concubine to effectively ruling China for decades, significantly shaping the country's modernization and reforms. In 1905, Vos, now an American citizen, returned to China and was asked to paint the dowager empress. Cixi, who had been on the throne for 40 years when Vos arrived, was a notorious figure who had been much gossiped about in Europe and the U.S. It was whispered, for example, that she had poisoned her nephew and had his favorite concubine thrown down a well. Vos had to appear at court at 5 a.m. to meet her, and was given only four brief sessions in a studio on the top floor of a Beijing hotel. In his letters he later related his impressions of his subject: “Erect, with a tremendous will power, more than I have ever seen in a human being. Hard, firm will and thinking lines, and with a brow full of kindness and a love for the beautiful. I fell straight in love with her.” Vos ultimately painted two portraits of the Empress, who was 71 years old. She looks considerably younger, and the artist reportedly enlarged her eyes and plumped her lips at Cixi’s request. She wears elaborate traditional Chinese royal attire, including a headdress adorned with jewels and beads. The details of her teal, green, and gold clothing are intricate, featuring flowers, birds, and other decorative elements. Her expression is serious, and her gaze is steady. The Empress Dowager holds a round, ornate fan, decorated with a painted image of a peony flower. Her fingers are adorned with long, elaborate gold nail guards. The background is a muted, brownish-gold hue, with a subtle dragon design. Above her head, a rectangular banner contains Chinese characters with her royal name and title. She is seated on a dark wooden chair with intricate carvings.
August 4, 2025 at 4:28 AM