Album Leaf from Illustrations of Chinese Costumes

This album leaf is a part of a 48-page album that depicts Chinese subjects participating in various aspects of daily life, including government business, daily life, cultural customs, modes of transportation, and corporal punishment. This leaf contains an ink and watercolour full-length portrait of a high ranking civil officer. His high rank can be determined by his hat, with ruby red finial and double-eyed peacock feather, as well as his rank badge with a crane, which indicates that he is a first rank civil official. He wears a mid-length black surcoat over a dragon robe, which has long sleeves with horse-hoof cuffs. He also wears a court necklace and black boots, which are a typical part of an official’s outfit.