Artwork Page for The God of War

Details / Information for The God of War

The God of War

關羽

1662–1735

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi reign (1622–1722) to Yongzheng reign

(1723–35)
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Measurements
Print only: 107.9 x 54 cm (42 1/2 x 21 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.40
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 vertically oriented print with ink and color depicts three figures under a dragon canopy. In the center, the God of War sits in a green dragon-patterned robe, featuring a red face and long black beard. To our left, a dark-skinned man holds a blade. To our right stands a light-skinned man. Chinese calligraphy fills the upper border above a red sun over waves.

The God of War

1662–1735

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi reign (1622–1722) to Yongzheng reign (1723–35)

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