This image is a portrait painting of Kublai Khan (on the left) and his wife/empress, Chabi (on the right), from the Yuan dynasty. These portraits are both in the National Palace Museum in Taibei and created in 1294 by an artist, Anige, from Nepali and a part of Kublai Khan’s court. They are painted with colored ink on silk in a mixture of traditional Chinese (imperial portraiture) and Nepali art styles. The Mongols held the traditional Chinese and Nepali, Himalayan art style in high esteem and value in order to represent them as successors of the Han Chinese emperors. Kublai Khan was fascinated by Buddhism and had Anige design and create many art pieces, sculptures, and temples; after the Mongol invasion of China and the Song court being taken over, the Imperial Academy of Painting was put to an end so Anige was hired. Anige was an artist and architect that also goes by Araniko or Aniko. His most famous work is the White stupa at Miaoying Temple 1 in Beijing, which has “religious merit that contributed to Kublai’s military victory and other achievements”.
1 White stupa at Miaoying Temple: although this is the greatest work by Araniko, this also has historical significance as a peacemaker between Nepal and China. It was created during the Yuan Dynasty and has symmetry and architectural designing inspired by Buddhism (symbolizing stability). 姗娜 . “The White Stupa of the Miaoying Temple, Beijing.” Your Online Guide to Government Services in China, https://govt.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202204/13/WS62569414498e6a12c1229e2a/the-white-stupa-of-the-miaoying-temple-beijing.html#:~:text=The%20White%20Stupa%20of%20the%20Miaoying%20Temple%20was%20the%20greatest,friendship%20between%20China%20and%20Nepal.
Chaffin, Cortney “Art under the Mongols”, https://smarthistory.org/reframing-art-history/art-under-the-mongols/. Smarthistory, March 26, 2023.
