Jesuit missions to China. Historical artwork of three Jesuit priests (altar at left) who worked and studied in China in the 16th and 17th centuries. From left, they are: Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), Adam Schall (1592-1666), and Ferdinand Verbiest (1623-1688). Ricci (from 1582), Schall (from 1618) and Verbiest (from 1659) established themselves at the royal court. Schall was Director of the Beijing Observatory, assisted by Verbiest who later replaced him. Both display astronomical and navigational equipment. Artwork from 'Description geographique, historique, chronologique et physique de l'Empire de la Chine et de la Tartarie Chinoise' (1736).