Story of the Western Chamber

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⻄廂記

1736–95

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

(1736–95)

Medium

Hanging scroll; polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Measurements

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.)

Credit Line

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.96

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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.