This search will return exact matches only. For best results:
Please note that only low-res files should be uploaded. Any images with overlay of text may not produce accurate results. Details of larger images will search for their corresponding detail.
Drag file here
Upload
Processing search results
Waiting for update..
Error:
Search by Colour
Advanced Search
Search Tips
Searching for a particular field
Field
Search term
Example
Asset title
title:
title:pony
Asset title and keywords
~
~pony
Asset description text
description:
description:london
Agency prefix
prfx: or $
prfx:lal or $LAL
Asset id
imageid: or #
imageid:250297 or imageid:[2500 TO 4000] or #1551
Agency name
coll:
coll:history
Medium
medium:
medium:oil
Century
century:
century:20th
Keywords
kw:
kw:dog
Artist name
artist: or ?
artist:monet or ?monet
Artist nationality
nat:
nat:French
Creator ID
creatorid:
creatorid:37
Location
loc: or @
loc:exeter or @exeter
Classification
class:
class:57 or #57. Use # for unclassified assets
Year
year:
year:1850 or year:[1700 TO 1800]
Metadata Block (Hidden)
Contact us for further help
High res file dimension
Search for more high res images or videos
China: Elaborate gold and jewelled 'zhijia tao' or finger stall favoured by Manchu...
Editorial (Books, magazines and newspaper) - extended
Print and/or digital. Single use, any size, inside only. Single language only. Single territory rights for trade books; worldwide rights for academic books. Print run up to 5000. 7 years. (excludes advertising)
$175.00
Editorial (Books, magazines and newspaper) - standard
Print and/or digital. Single use, any size, inside only. Single language only. Single territory rights for trade books; worldwide rights for academic books. Print run up to 1500. 7 years. (excludes advertising)
$100.00
Corporate website, social media or presentation/talk
Web display, social media, apps or blogs.
Not for advertising. All languages. 1 year + archival rights
$190.00
Personal website or social media
Web display, social media, apps or blogs. 5 years.
Not for commercial use or advertising.
All languages. 5 years
$50.00
Personal products
Personal Prints, Cards, Gifts, Slide Presentations, Reference. 5 year term. Not for commercial use, not for public display, not for resale.
example: For use in an internal Powerpoint presentation at work.
5 years
Western descriptions of Chinese emperors, royalty and nobles often mention fingernails long enough to mark the person above any possibility of manual labor. These fingernail protectors, or guards, might be worn as a single jewel on the hand or in multiple sets.
According to the San Diego Museum of Art: 'Fingernail protectors were worn by a very elite group-Manchu court ladies of the late Qing dynasty. Although scholars of Chinese costumes usually date fingernail protectors to the Qing dynasty, they are in fact characteristic only of the late 19th century. Portraits of early Qing court ladies show natural fingernails. Late Qing rulers, however, pursued a life of absolute luxury. For example, photographs and portraits of Empress Jixi (1835-1908) show her wearing two or three nail shields on each of her hands-a sign of her ability to rely upon servants to carry out any of her wishes, as she herself could perform no manual tasks'.
The wearing of fingernail protectors was specifically associated with the Manchurian high culture of the Qing Dynasty. Han men were forced by law to wear Manchu clothing and to groom themselves by Manchu custom, whereas Han women were free to continue wearing traditional Han fashions. Manchu women felt that long fingernails were a status symbol they protected with fingernail covers that might be finely carved and inlayed with gold silver and gem.