The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of July 10, 2026

Story of the Western Chamber

1736–95

China, Qing dynasty

(1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Hanging scroll; polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Print only: 98.2 x 52.7 cm (38 11/16 x 20 3/4 in.); Overall: 169.3 x 98.6 cm (66 5/8 x 38 13/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 169.3 x 76 x 3 cm (66 5/8 x 29 15/16 x 1 3/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.96
Location: Not on view

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.
  • ?–2025
    (Christer von der Burg, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    2025–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Story of the Western Chamber|url=false|author=|year=1736–95|access-date=10 July 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2025.96