When: closing June 23, 2019
It's not just the National Gallery that has a big show up now. The Sackler has pulled out all the stops for its display of objects belonging to China's Empress Dowagers. Pictured is the most powerful Empress Dowager in Chinese history, Empress Cixi. Cixi was the power behind the throne for fifty years; she ruled for her son and for her nephew after him.
Although the position of women in Chinese society was far below the position of men, the Empress Dowagers lived pretty well. Their beautiful gowns demonstrated their high position. They were not subject to foot binding, so they could move about as they wished, even riding horseback. They had very valuable jewelry and other household items. Because the property was left to the imperial family at the death of an empress, there is a record of how they lived, and the status afforded them during their lives.
Although emperors had many consorts, there was only one empress. The only woman senior to an empress, was the empress dowager. So, it's good to be the ruler's wife, but it's even better to be his mother. Amazingly enough, one of the empress dowagers, Empress Xiaoxian, came to the royal household as a maid, and was elevated to empress when she gave birth to a son.
This fabulous portrait of Empress Cixi was painted by Katharine Carl and given to Theodore Roosevelt. He, in turn, gave it to the Smithsonian. The enormous frame is of camphor wood.
Verdict: This is a don't miss!
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