Portrait of Lady Hoja, Consort of the Qing Dynasty Qianlong Emperor

The beautiful sitter is in a 3/4 pose and is slightly leaning towards a table with one arm casually resting on it and the other placed in her lap. She is elegantly dressed in a sumptuously blue embroidered silk robe. She is adorned with precious jade and gold jewellery, all of which complement and accentuate her beauty. However, what is most striking is her direct gaze at the viewer which evokes a sense of wealth and power. The impact of Western figurative painting can be found in this portrait from the striking use of light and shadow on the folds of the robe, and in the informality of the sitter's pose.