Artwork Page for Gusu Beauty–Mother and Son in a Summer Pavilion

Details / Information for Gusu Beauty–Mother and Son in a Summer Pavilion

Gusu Beauty–Mother and Son in a Summer Pavilion

姑蘇美人 – 夏日亭畔母子圖

1736–95

Southeast China, Suzhou Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period

(1736–95)
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Measurements
Print only: 104.2 x 54.5 cm (41 x 21 7/16 in.); Overall: 112.9 x 62.9 cm (44 7/16 x 24 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.47
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 polychrome woodblock print depicts a woman and a boy with light skin tones. In the foreground, the woman sits on a dark chair wearing a black robe and patterned skirt, holding a round fan. Beside her, a boy crouches on a gridded floor. Receding into the background through a large circular opening, a garden contains a willow tree, zigzag bridge, and pavilion. Fine vertical lines texture the sky above.

Gusu Beauty–Mother and Son in a Summer Pavilion

1736–95

Southeast China, Suzhou Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)

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