A rare Chinese funerary paper collage featuring a hand-painted scene likely representing the spirit journey of a deceased child, framed in early 20th-century America.
Dimensions:
Framed: 41 cm x 29 cm (16.1 in x 11.4 in)
Envira Gallery:
Longer Description: This unique hybrid composition combines a hand-painted central funerary scene with a richly decorated collaged border of cut paper and gold foil elements. The central image portrays a young child seated in a ceremonial cart or wheelchair, surrounded by attendants or family figures, rendered with care and ceremonial dignity. This figure appears to be the focal point of a spirit escort procession, a traditional concept in Chinese funerary customs where the deceased is guided toward the afterlife.
The imagery strongly suggests a memorial offering for a deceased child, possibly created for a funeral or ancestral altar. In Chinese folk belief, children who pass away before adulthood require special attention in ritual to ensure their soul’s peace and proper reincarnation. The presence of the cart — likely not a literal wheelchair, but a symbolic vehicle for transition — paired with attendants, is consistent with the iconography of a spirit journey or ceremonial guidance.
The surrounding border, created with intricate collage techniques using printed and hand-colored motifs, includes auspicious symbols such as birds, fish, dragons, lotus flowers, and blessing characters like Longevity (壽) and Fortune (福). Above the painted scene, a banner reads 瑞義堂 (Hall of Auspicious Righteousness), suggesting the artwork was dedicated in the name of a family hall rather than to an individual by name.
What makes this piece especially rare is its preservation. While most zhǐ zhā (紙紮) — ritual paper offerings — were intended to be burned after use, this example was instead framed in Boise, Idaho by Schackner Fine Millinery between 1920 and 1945. The presence of the shop label confirms its early export and careful preservation.
This is a rare and moving example of ephemeral Chinese folk art surviving through trans-Pacific migration, early American framing, and over a century of private care.