Artwork Page for Part of Story of The Western Chamber

Details / Information for Part of Story of The Western Chamber

Part of Story of The Western Chamber

一部西廂總

1736–95

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

(1736–95)
Medium
Hanging scroll; polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Measurements
Print only: 89 x 52.7 cm (35 1/16 x 20 3/4 in.); Overall: 170.9 x 69 cm (67 5/16 x 27 3/16 in.); with knobs: 170.9 x 72.3 cm (67 5/16 x 28 7/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.21
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?

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.

Description

Woodblock printing in color reached its height in China in the 1600s to 1700s . It was executed by means of sets of separate blocks, each carved to print a different color.
A hanging scroll depicts a sprawling architectural complex nestled below jagged mountains and a hazy sky. Multi-storied pavilions with red beams house figures in colorful robes. Below, people with light skin tones walk through courtyards filled with craggy rock formations and lush trees. To the left, figures on horseback travel along a winding path. Staggered columns of Chinese calligraphy are interspersed throughout the cream-colored composition, rendered in fine black lines.

Part of Story of The Western Chamber

1736–95

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

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