Artwork Page for Gusu Beauties of the Four Seasons—Spring

Details / Information for Gusu Beauties of the Four Seasons—Spring

Gusu Beauties of the Four Seasons—Spring

四季姑蘇美人圖 – 春

1736–95

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

(1736–95)
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Measurements
111 x 60.2 cm (43 11/16 x 23 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.48
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 vertically oriented polychrome woodblock print with fine black lines depicts a woman and two children with light skin tones. Seated on a red railing, the woman in flowing gray robes tilts her head toward the children playing below. The children wear red and green tunics while grasping one another. To our left, a blue vase and stacked books sit atop a wooden table. A garden unfolds beneath a wooden roof.

Gusu Beauties of the Four Seasons—Spring

1736–95

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

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