Zhang Qian Chances upon Douniu Celestial Palace

No image available

Zhang Qian Chances upon Douniu Celestial Palace

張騫誤入斗牛宮

1723–95

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Yongzheng reign (1723–35) to Qianlong reign

(1736–95)

View all records in artwork set

Medium

Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Measurements

61.3 x 30 cm (24 1/8 x 11 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.92.a

You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

Woodblock printing in color reached its height in China in the 1600s and 1700s. It was 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.