Artwork Page for The Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity

Details / Information for The Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity

The Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity

和合二仙

1736–95

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

(1736–95)
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.32
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
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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.
A hanging scroll depicts two smiling figures with light skin tones and partially shaved heads. The foreground figure wears a blue-gray robe patterned with coins, holding a red lidded bowl and a lotus blossom. Another figure in a red patterned robe leans forward from behind. Auspicious treasures like coins, coral, and a scepter lie at their feet. Vertical columns of calligraphy appear in the top right against the neutral background.

The Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity

1736–95

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

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