Facing up to the past

Another painting on show depicts Mingrui, an 18th-century general favored by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. Mingrui hailed from a prestigious aristocratic Manchu clan held in high esteem. His aunt was Empress Fucha, the most beloved wife of Qianlong, and Mingrui's uncle was Fuheng, a major figure serving in Qianlong's court. The two characters and their glorified family backgrounds are detailed in Story of Yanxi Palace, a hit 2018 costume drama series.

"The exhibition also shows dozens of group portraits that depict ya ji, or 'elegant gatherings', a recurring theme in Chinese paintings," Zhu says. "Such parties were attended by members of the literati who enjoyed music, dance and landscape art or a space adorned with cultural objects."

Painters not only documented gatherings of their time, but also created imagined salon scenes featuring historic figures. For example, a work by an anonymous Ming painter on show depicts a known gathering in the 9th century that was attended by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Bai Juyi.

Painters also reproduced master works as a study of techniques and to pay tribute to predecessors and the cultural atmosphere of previous dynasties. The exhibition displays a Ming copy of the 10th century scroll painting, Han Xizai Gives a Night Banquet, a well-known Chinese painting.

"It is an exhibition where every portrait tells a unique story that deserves audiences' attention, so they can think of the past," Zhu, the curator, says.