A Study on the Schematic Features of Giuseppe Castiglione's “Grand Review of the Qianlong Emperor”

The Grand Review of the Emperor Qianlong, painted by the Qing dynasty court artist Giuseppe Castiglione, is a quintessential equestrian portrait of an emperor, adhering to the Western traditional iconography of imperial horsemen. Research confirms that Lang Shining created two highly similar versions of The Grand Review of the Emperor Qianlong in the fourth year of Qianlong's reign (1739) and the twenty-third year (1758). Analysis reveals that both works adhere to fixed conventions derived from Western classical traditions in aspects such as the emperor's posture and the depiction of warhorses. Comparisons between Lang Shining's Grand Review of the Emperor Qianlong and works such as the ancient Roman Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, Leonardo da Vinci's related sketches, and Van Dyck's “Portrait of Charles I on Horseback” confirm the transmission lineage and core elements of this Schema in Europe—from the Classical period through the Renaissance to Lang Shining's era. Langgeng, drawing upon his Western artistic background, successfully introduced this archetypal Western imperial equestrian portraiture into 18th-century Chinese court painting, reflecting the profound depth of Sino-Western artistic exchange.