The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 28, 2026

A hanging scroll in vibrant colors depicts the Immortals of Harmony and Unity as two plump, smiling men. One immortal holds a dark ribbed vessel and a scepter, while the other holds a pink lotus blossom. They wear green robes patterned with golden circles and lined in red. At their feet lie a swastika, a large coin, and interlocking squares. Vertical Chinese calligraphy is arranged on the right.

The Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity

1736–95

China, Qing dynasty

(1644–1911), Qianlong reign (1736–95)
Hanging scroll; polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Print only: 120.7 x 54.1 cm (47 1/2 x 21 5/16 in.); Overall: 177.9 x 61.2 cm (70 1/16 x 24 1/8 in.); with knobs: 177.9 x 66.3 cm (70 1/16 x 26 1/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.31
Location: Not on view

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 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.
  • ?–2025
    (Christer von der Burg, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    2025–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=The Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity|url=false|author=|year=1736–95|access-date=28 June 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2025.31