Statuary - Votive Sculpture, Reliquary - Polychrome Wooden Dignitary - Chinese Ancestor

End of the 17th century China Qing Dynasty (Late Ming) Superb old polychrome wooden statue, representing a Dignitary seated on a bench. Dressed in a long dress and wearing a hat. The Ancestors of China, also called Chinese Dignitaries, belong to the cult of ancestors which has been very present in this country since Antiquity. This tradition is a mixture of folk religion, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. This is why in most homes today we still find a space reserved for ancestors on the family altar. In the Qing era, it was common for families to have portraits of the oldest members of the family painted or carved. Dimensions: Total height: 36 cm