Artwork Page for Chrysanthemum, Begonia, and Blue Asters

Details / Information for Chrysanthemum, Begonia, and Blue Asters

Chrysanthemum, Begonia, and Blue Asters

菊花、秋海棠、與紫菀

1700–1750

China, Suzhou, Qing dynasty

(1644–1911)
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Measurements
25.9 x 33.1 cm (10 3/16 x 13 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.122
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Woodblock printing in color reached a height in China in the 1600s to 1700s. The prints were executed by means of sets of separate blocks, each carved to print a different color.

Description

In the 1600s, printing flourished in such Jiangnan cities as Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Huizhou, evolving from privately enjoyed illustrated books printed in color to more commercialized single-sheet color prints that were hung on walls and became part of the rich urban visual culture.
A horizontal woodblock print depicts a textured blue rock nestled among large tan leaves with brown veins at the lower left. Small white blossoms sprout from the center, while thin stems with delicate flowers extend toward the lower right. Soft yellow and red circular washes resemble chrysanthemums floating at the top. Vertical Japanese calligraphy stands on the far right against the off-white paper, balancing the organic arrangement of flora and stones.

Chrysanthemum, Begonia, and Blue Asters

1700–1750

China, Suzhou, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

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