Mongolian Cultural Revolution Painting, Framed

Lone figure in a long gray robe strides out over misty peaks, holding a scroll.

This framed Cultural Revolution painting of the young Mao is from Hohhot, Mongolia, and dates to the mid 20th century. It is pigment on canvas. During the Cultural Revolution, painting was used to promote a heroic public image of Mao Zedong, and artists were expected to follow set conventions. Vivid print in a red-orange frame, showing a standing man in a blue-gray gown against billowing clouds and distant mountains. One arm holds a rolled paper at his side. A line of small caption text runs along the bottom margin. It is 19.25 inches wide, 0.25 deep and 25.25 high.

Heroic posing, with scenery doing most of the heavy lifting.