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Satirical Prints of Suzhou Customs

蘇州風俗諷刺畫

1760

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong reign

(1736–95)
Medium
Woodblock print; ink on paper
Measurements
36.2 x 50.5 cm (14 1/4 x 19 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.62
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 horizontally oriented woodblock print in black ink depicts eleven figures performing tasks, each labeled with vertical Chinese calligraphy. A faint horizontal line bisects the composition. In the top half, figures pull ropes, hold fans, and work at tables. Below, a man sits at a desk with books, two men walk together, and another carries jars on a shoulder pole. Large Chinese characters fill a banner across the top center.

Satirical Prints of Suzhou Customs

1760

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong reign (1736–95)

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