Bidspirit auction | Fortune,by Qianlong Emperor

Fortune,by Qianlong Emperor - Emperor Qianlong (1711–1799), born Aisin-Gioro Hongli, was the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, reigning under the era name Qianlong. He held supreme power longer than any other ruler in Chinese history and was a monarch with profound cultural ambition and artistic engagement. Qianlong’s achievements and influence in the arts extended far beyond his personal creations. An avid collector, he extensively acquired ancient and contemporary masterpieces of painting and calligraphy, bringing the Qing imperial collection to its peak. He commissioned major catalogues such as The Shiqu Baoji (秘殿珠林石渠宝笈) and Xiqing Gujian (西清古鉴) to systematically document the palace’s artistic treasures. He passionately practiced calligraphy, modeling his style on masters like Zhao Mengfu and Dong Qichang. Although his brushwork is often regarded as somewhat conventional, he produced a vast number of works, with his inscriptions appearing on countless historical paintings and throughout palace gardens and halls. He was also a prolific poet, leaving behind over 40,000 poems. He strongly promoted the development of decorative arts, showing particular fondness for jade, porcelain, and court painting, fostering what became known as the “Qianlong style”—characterized by opulent detail and exquisite craftsmanship. While his artistic taste is sometimes criticized as overly elaborate, his legacy in cultural preservation, art patronage, and the history of collecting remains profoundly significant.