Artwork Page for Illustrations of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

Details / Information for Illustrations of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

Illustrations of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

隋唐綉像

1736–95

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

(1736–95)
Medium
Woodblock print; ink on paper
Measurements
26.7 x 28.8 cm (10 1/2 x 11 5/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.75
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 square, intricate woodblock print in black ink on gray paper depicts four light-skinned, armored warriors in dynamic poses. Bold calligraphy titles the work at the top center. Left, a long-bearded man stands above a spearman. To the right, a warrior raises a spiked mace over a crouching figure. Detailed patterns adorn their ornate armor. Vertical cartouches identify the figures as Yang Lin, Shang Shitu, Wu Tianxi, and Liu Heita.

Illustrations of the Sui and Tang Dynasties

1736–95

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

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