A fantastical depiction of a Chinese empress dressed in stylised garments reminiscent of the Ming dynasty, accompanied by a servant in similarly flowing court attire. The empress stands before a large emerald green jade screen, an element typically used by artists to convey the subject’s status, which in this case is of the highest authority.

The empress is depicted wearing a fantastical crown incorporating a mianguan (ceremonial headgear), a ritual crown topped with a rectangular plank adorned with hanging beaded strings in its front and back. Chinese emperors and high-ranking male nobility have worn this type of headgear during imperial rituals and sacrifices since antiquity, however, its use ceased with the fall of the Ming dynasty.