Artwork Page for Distinguishing Good from Evil

Details / Information for Distinguishing Good from Evil

Distinguishing Good from Evil

善惡分明

1796–1820

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Jiaqing period

(1796–1820)
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Measurements
34.7 x 52.7 cm (13 11/16 x 20 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.69
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 features multiple rectangular panels framed by a decorative border of peaches and coins. In the central panel, a judge sits beneath Chinese calligraphy. Smaller surrounding vignettes depict figures in scenes of judgment and punishment, including a bridge at the lower left and figures in a cauldron at the bottom center. Vibrant red, yellow, and blue pigments fill black-outlined figures and swirling, cloud-filled landscapes set against an aged, cream-colored paper background.

Distinguishing Good from Evil

1796–1820

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Jiaqing period (1796–1820)

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