Need Help Translating Scroll

[Jbradcar]

Hi a few years ago I purchased this scroll from a chinese antique store, the woman working there told me that it is a hand painted scroll from somewhere around 1900, I have no clue what any of the characters on the scroll mean because i cannot read any chinese, could anyone tell me what they mean and more about the scroll

This first picture is of the front of the scroll

This next picture is of the characters at the top of the scroll

Right under that text is a very faint stamp, I took the picture and attempted to trace it in photoshop

Finally on the back of the scroll I found this

Any help or information on this scroll is greatly appreciated

[YangDizi]

The portrait is of the the Qing (清)-dynasty (1644-1911) emperor Huang Taiji (皇太極／皇太极) or the Emperor Taizong (太宗), also commonly referred to as Hong Taiji (洪太極／洪太极). The characters above the portrait read, "Taizong, Huang Taiji". Huang Taiji lived between 1592 and 1643. Huang Taiji ruled as emperor of the Qing from 1626 until his death. (The dates I give for the Qing dynasty above are those which are generally recognised; the discrepancy between the start date of 1644 and Huang Taiji's lifetime reflect the fact that 1644 is regarded as the true start of the dynasty since this is when the Qing finally overthrew the Ming 明 dynasty (1638-1644) and hence held the Mandate of Heaven (天命); the Qing dynasty had, however, been declared prior to the fall of the Ming.

The seal on the portrait reads, "[Personally and] Imperially Viewed by Qianlong" (乾隆禦覽／乾隆御览). Qianlong (乾隆), also an emperor of the Qing (reigned 1736–1796) is celebrated as a great patron of the visual and plastic arts. He used a seal reading "[Personally and] Imperially Viewed by Qianlong" (乾隆禦覽／乾隆御览), amongst others, to indicate his approval of a painting or piece of calligraphy, and, by extension, that the work of art was genuine. However, this by no means suggests that your painting is genuine. Despite Qianlong's patronage of the arts and his renown as a connoisseur, many of the paintings in his imperial collection were copies or fabrications in the style of famous painters. The seal on the painting, therefore, is no indication that it is not a copy of an imperial portrait.

It is also possible, dare I say likely, that the seal on your painting is itslef a copy of Qianlong's seal. (I cannot comment on the fidelity of the impression on your painting with that from the original or on works acknowledged to bear an impression from the genuine seal as the Qing is not my period and such declarations are well beyond my expertise). The practice of copying a painting - including seals and inscriptions - was common throughout the history of Chinese visual arts from the time that art became a commodity representing social status (wealth, political authority etc).

To authenticate your painting would require the expertise of a true connoisseur who would take into account the nature of the media (paper/silk, pigments) and, in the case of the painting you have, such evidence as the seal impressions. It is more than possible that one connoisseur might authenticate your painting with great authority and a second would declare it a fake/copy with equal authority (authentication is itself an art and not a science). It may be that there are references to this portrait in the art historical literature (imperial catalogues such as the Qing imperial catalogue Shiqu baoji (石渠寳笈／石渠宝笈）but such appearances in the literature are not to be taken as an indication of authenticity. The Shiqu baoji is notorious for its errors and inclusion of counterfeit works, and the extensive literature detailing works of art (particularly calligraphy and painting) is a blessing both to the art historian/connoisseur and to the would-be forger.

For information, the scrawl on the back of your scroll reads, "Huang Taiji (皇太極／皇太极)".

[skylee]

The 5 characters in the first picture are 太宗皇太極. They refer to the name of the first/second [depending on how you count] emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The first two characters are the posthumous (or temple) name. The last 3 characters are the name of the emperor.

On the faint stamp are 4 characters - 乾隆御覽 - inspected by his Majesty the emperor Qianlong, who was the great great grandson of the emperor in the picture.

The three characters on the back are 皇太極, again the name of the emperor in the picture.

The portrait is a replica. Looks like the original is in the Palace Museum in Shenyang, China. (PS looks like actually it is in the Palace Museum in Beijing -> http://www.dpm.org.cn/Big5/phoweb/asp/moreimg.asp?objid=451)