Artwork Page for The Fierce Battle of Red Cliff

Details / Information for The Fierce Battle of Red Cliff

The Fierce Battle of Red Cliff

赤壁鏖兵圖

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: 106.3 x 55 cm (41 7/8 x 21 5/8 in.); Overall: 175.4 x 70 cm (69 1/16 x 27 9/16 in.); with knobs: 75.5 cm (29 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2025.97
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 hanging scroll with vibrant colors on beige paper depicts a naval battle. Ornate wooden ships navigate through stylized, rolling gray waves that dominate the lower half of the composition. Numerous figures in detailed armor and robes crowd the decks, while ships on the left feature dragon figureheads. In the background, green and red undulating hills rise behind layers of white mist. Several columns of black calligraphy are centered at the top.

The Fierce Battle of Red Cliff

1736–95

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

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