Antique Chinese Ancestral Portrait with stork and floral symbols. This type of commemorative painting was commissioned by families as a representation of family lineage, as a way of honoring and paying respect to one's elders. Each painting, finely detailed, portrays a family member in a type of formal attire that directly relates to their social or professional status. Other components such as headgear, jewelry, furniture, and even hand placement can represent certain characteristics of wealth, and cultural significance. The painting is natural pigments (gouache) on heavy paper. Matted in silk and mounted in a slim green and gold wood frame. Visible soil and glue marks; condition is fair for antique age and use.