Investigations On Two Yongzheng's Portraits In European Attire

With Emperor Yongzheng's portraits in cosplay as a reference,and the cultural exchange between the flourishing Qing Dynasty and the West as a background,this paper selects Yongzheng's Portrait in European Attire and a Curly Wig while subduing a Tiger,a picture included in Yongzheng's Portraits with Animals album,and Yongzheng's Half-Length Portrait in European Attire,in which Yongzheng's appearance in costume and makeup is much the same to that in the former one,as the object of study,to discuss the questions related to Yongzheng's portraits in European attire by using such methods as iconography,formal analysis and psychology,etc.In Chapter One, the paper describes and analyzes the two Yongzheng's portraits in European attire. In Chapter Two,the paper reviews other portraits of Yongzheng in cosplay, which belong to the same visual image system as Yongzheng's Portrait in European Attire and a Curly Wig while subduing a Tiger does,including Yongzheng's Portraits with Plants album and Yongzheng's Portraits with Animals album,and infers the cosplay styles in the portraits series,as well as the text sources of the portraits. In Chapter Three,the paper expounds the genuine and fake aspects of Yongzheng's portraits in European attire and the source of the references to the portrait drawing according to the effect of the dress-up in European attire presented in these two paintings. In Chapter Four,the paper investigates Yongzheng's motive for cosplay in accordance with his personal psychological needs and the historical background,and makes a tentative analysis on the transitory Western learning in the imperial palace.It can be seen from observations on the two above-mentioned Yongzheng's portraits in European attire that the face is realistic and the costume is fictional; the European attire in the pictures is painted based on the image of the royals in the Western Europe. The portraits series were conceived and completed with special meanings to Yongzheng himself. At that time,he was still Prince Yongqin,trapped in the political whirlpool where "nine princes fighting for the throne". It seemed that he was intent on conveying some political information implicitly through these portraits, so as to express his own will skillfully and euphemistically,so that his father should think more about his strengths when selecting a heir to the throne; the dress-up in these pictures,to some extent,highlights Yongzheng's psychological needs before and after he ascended the throng. It's not only a way for him to carm down himself,but a way for him to console himself under stressful pressure; the western elements in the two portraits in European attire evidently reveal Chinese royal nobility's interest in the Western culture. However,such three emperors as Kangxi,Yongzheng and Qianlong in the flourishing Qing Dynasty confined their attention to the western values to the use and novelty of technological tools,without dipping into the western system and cultural connotation.