ANONYME - Impery sino Tartarici Supremus Monarcha.

Decorative costume plate showing Kam Hi son of the Shunzhi Emperor of China [1638 - 1661?], the second emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, who apparently supported the foundation of Jesuit churches in his kingdom.
The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) was successful in penetrating China and serving at the Imperial court. They impressed the Chinese with their knowledge of European astronomy and mechanics, and in fact ran the Imperial Observatory. Other Jesuits functioned as court painters. The Jesuits in turn were impressed by the Chinese Confucian elite, and adopted their dress and customs.