History

The Imperial Seals of China

Emperor Qianlong lived from 1711 to 1799 AD. He was the fourth emperor following in the noteworthy Qing dynasty (1644-1911). This dynasty located the capital of China in the city which is today known as “Beijing.” He is famous throughout the history of the world as an accomplished emperor with great ambition. Qianlong helped to create a prosperous period during his reign of more than sixty years. His reign has often been referred to as “unparalleled.” He was the longest reigning emperor in China’s history. In all he spent sixty years as emperor and then three years as “Emperor Emeritus.” However, he was also the emperor who lived the longest and died at the age of eighty nine. It is a fact that the Qianlong emperor was a zealous artist and a committed collector. He gave much time and personal energy into artistic creation as well as collecting. This emperor’s direct participation created an undisputed influence on court art during this era. To understand and correctly interpret court art of this particular time, one must look more intently into the unique thoughts and experiences of this very famous emperor of China. The famed “imperial seal” provides a small window into the mind of this man. (more…)