Qianlong's true appearance was restored by foreign painters, and netizens were amazed that it was similar to a certain star
Qianlong's true appearance was secretly restored by foreign painters, netizens: He looks like a star.
The image of Emperor Qianlong has attracted much attention and inspired the creation of many film and television works. Qianlong is considered to be the pinnacle of the Qing Dynasty and is known as"Ten perfect old people", leaving a huge impact on history. This not only made Qianlong a subject of much attention in film and television works, but also prompted scholars to study Qianlong in depth.
Chinese painting is exquisite"Artistic conception", when depicting the emperor,"Artistic conception"than"Realism"More important. This makes our understanding of Qianlong's true appearance somewhat vague. The work of a foreign artist gives us a valuable insight into real life. The artist's work realistically shows Qianlong's true face, giving us an insight into this historical giant.
Surprisingly, some netizens commented that this historical portrait bears a striking resemblance to a certain celebrity.
According to the detailed records of historical materials, the facial features of the Qianlong Emperor at different ages were different. In his early years, Qianlong's face was smooth and full, without wrinkles, and although his hair and beard were not completely white, they were also fair and beardless. These external characteristics show the unrestrained and lively nature of his youth.
As the years passed, Emperor Qianlong entered his thirties and forties, he was well-proportioned, slightly fat, slightly shorter, and had a height of 16 meters, so it looks magnificent.
The face is long and slightly pointed, the complexion is light and reddish, the eyes are dark and bright, the bridge of the nose is slightly upturned, and the demeanor is elegant and calm. Qianlong in this period not only gave people a sense of dignified and elegant, but also had a calm and tireless bearing.
Although there are limited descriptions in historical sources, these documents show a general view of Qianlong's appearance at different times, and his external characteristics seem to have gradually changed with age, showing different charms at different times. At the same time, these descriptions also reveal the qualities of the Qianlong Emperor, both internal and external, as well as his extraordinary temperament, especially in his later years, when he appeared more charming and suave.
The ability of the work to show Qianlong's true face is undoubtedly unparalleled. Chinese ink painters have used their works to depict Qianlong's imperial demeanor. Italian painter Lang Shining's masterpiece shows the true face of Emperor Qianlong in detail.
The Italian missionary Lang Shining was able to witness Qianlong's growth. When he first set foot on Chinese soil, he was already 27 years old, Qianlong was still a 4-year-old child, and the emperor at that time was the Kangxi Emperor. Lang Shining painted diligently with the spirit of an artist, and eventually won the emperor's appreciation.
Before coming to China, Lang Shining did not know much about Chinese painting. He did not stick to his own style, but followed tradition and learned Chinese painting techniques. He learned about the Chinese emperor's hopes"Write God in the form", and integrated this characteristic into Western paintings, creating a unique one"Lang style new style painting"。
This innovative spirit made Lang Shining favored by Qianlong. Qianlong liked to commission him to paint his wife, lantern festivals, and horses, and Lang Shining was willing to let him paint almost anything, including his own portrait. One of Lang Shining's masterpieces, "Qianlong's Morning Journey", depicts Qianlong more as a Taoist priest who has cultivated to become an immortal, full of mystery.
In contrast, "Bust of Qianlong's Winter Coat" depicts Qianlong's appearance more realistically. The painting, now in the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Yinchuan, is Lang Shining's private work.
Qianlong in the painting is a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in simple clothes. Contemporary researchers have noticed that although Lang Shining has embellished the details of Qianlong's imperial identity, he has faithfully reproduced Qianlong's appearance"Mutilated"of the left eyebrow. While the images are not 100% accurate, the similarity is certainly over 90%.
Curious netizens couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between Emperor Qianlong and contemporary actor Huang Jingyu, noting their facial proportions and facial features.
Both Huang Jingyu and Emperor Qianlong had thin faces and thin, long eyebrows, a resemblance that sparked heated discussions on social networks. Some netizens compared Huang Jingyu's ** with Qianlong's portrait, and found that not only the eyebrows and eyes are similar, but even the mouth shape is almost identical, as if the mouth shape and mouth are extremely restored.
However, some netizens have different views on the true appearance of Qianlong painted by Lang Shining. They believe that Lang Shining's Qianlong is more similar to today's middle-aged Sun Haiying.
According to Lang Shining's brushwork, the middle-aged Qianlong's cheeks look older than his actual age, his eyes are deep, and his eyes are sharper than Huang Jingyu. And Sun Haiying's age is similar to Qianlong's, and her accumulated experience is also comparable to Qianlong's, and her performance is more in line with history.
When discussing Lang Shining's paintings, some netizens said that their beautiful illusions about Emperor Qianlong were dispelled. After removing the beauty filter, Qianlong's appearance is mediocre, and Qianlong's eyes in the picture are blank and his cheekbones are sunken, which is in stark contrast to his previous impression. Some netizens struggled to accept the change at first, and even felt disappointed.
According to research, Emperor Qianlong only had two personal portraits during his lifetime, one is "Qianlong Winter Bust", and the other is the "Qianlong Buddha Statue" existing in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. These two paintings have become a precious window to understand Qianlong's true face.
Lang Shining uses the methods of Western realistic painting, which allows us to reproduce it almost perfectly. It is said that the "Winter Bust of Qianlong" with a realistic style 9999% reproduces the true appearance of Emperor Qianlong. This painting is a direct window into Qianlong's appearance, allowing us to get a closer look at the face of this historical giant.
Interestingly, many netizens compared Emperor Qianlong's appearance with that of the actor Chen Daoming at the time. This resemblance has sparked further speculation and discussion about the connection between history and reality.
Chen Daoming's depiction seems to be a kind of contrast and resonance, providing a new way for people to understand Qianlong's appearance more intuitively.
Lang Shining's life was full of devotion and obsession with art. In the months leading up to his death, he was diligent in painting, showing his dedication and persistence in art. In the early summer of 1766, Lang Shining died in Beijing at the age of 78.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions and loyalty, Emperor Qianlong personally issued an edict posthumously rewarding him to serve in the reading room of the inner court, and rewarded him with three thousand taels as his funeral expenses and pension. This decree was engraved on the back of Lang Shining's tombstone as a tribute and respect to the foreign court painter, and also drew a perfect end to his hard life.