Bidspirit auction | Chinese dignitary, China, Ming dinasty

Chinese dignitary, China, Ming dinasty (1368-1644) - 133 x 92 cm He's probably Xu Guangqi (1562-1633), the most influential and famous among the converts to Christianity in the first decades of the Jesuit mission in China.  In addition to being a disciple and friend of Matteo Ricci, he was a man of culture and of many interests. As imperial official, he reached the highest levels of his career; as a fervent believer, he is considered the “greatest pillar” of the nascent Christian community in China at the end of the Ming era.