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The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Painting

• 

  Landscape in the Style of Huang Gongwang, dated 1666
  Wang Shimin (Chinese, 1592–1680)
  Hanging scroll; ink on paper; Image: 53 x 22 1/4 in. (134.6 x 56.5 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist
  Ex coll.: C. C. Wang Family
  Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1980 (1980.426.2)

• 
  The Sixteen Luohans, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1667
  Shitao (Zhu Ruoji) (Chinese, 1642–1707)
  China
  Handscroll; ink on paper; 18 1/4 x 235 5/16 in. (46.4 x 597.8 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist and by Mei Qing (Chinese, 1624–1697)
  Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1985 (1985.227.1)
  
• 
  Landscapes Painted for Yuweng, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1673
  Fan Qi (Chinese, 1616–after 1694)
  Album of eight leaves; ink and color on paper; 6 x 7 7/16 in. (15.2 x 18.9 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist
  Bequest of John M. Crawford, Jr., 1988 (1989.363.131)
  
• 

  Landscapes after Ancient Masters, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1674 and 1677
  Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717) and Wang Shimin (Chinese, 1592–1680)
  Album of 12 paintings; ink and color on paper; 10 paintings by Wang Hui: 8 5/8 x 13 1/4 in. (22 x 33.8 cm); 2 paintings by Wang Shimin: 10 x 13 in. (25.4 x 32.9 cm)
  Inscribed by the artists
  Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1989 (1989.141.4)

• 
  Whiling Away the Summer, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1679
  Wu Li (Chinese, 1632–1718)
  Handscroll; ink on paper; 14 5/16 x 106 5/16 in. (36.4 x 270 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist
  Ex coll.: C. C. Wang Family
  Purchase, Douglas Dillon Gift, 1977 (1977.81)
  
• 
  Landscapes and Trees, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), ca. 1679
  Gong Xian (Chinese, 1619–1689)
  Album of twelve paintings; ink on paper; 6 1/4 x 7 9/16 in. (15.9 x 19.2 cm)
  Facing pages inscribed by the artist
  From the P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Family Collection
  Gift of Wen and Constance Fong, in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Dillon, 1979 (1979.499)
  
• 
  Ten Thousand Miles along the Yellow River, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 1690–1722
  China
  Two handscrolls: ink, color, and gold on silk; 2 ft. 6 3/4 in. x 42 ft. 2 in. (.78 x 12.85 m)
  Purchase, W. M. Keck Foundation Gift, The Dillon Fund Gift and gifts from various donors, in memory of Douglas Dillon, 2006 (2006.272a,b)
  
• 
  Wooded Mountains at Dusk, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1666
  Kuncan (Chinese, 1612–1673)
  Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper; 49 3/4 x 23 7/8 in. (126.2 x 60.6 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist
  Bequest of John M. Crawford Jr., 1988 (1989.363.129)
  
• 
  The Palace of Nine Perfections, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1691
  Yuan Jiang (Chinese, active ca. 1690–ca. 1746)
  Set of twelve hanging scrolls; ink and color on silk; H. 81 1/2 in. (207 cm), W. 221 3/4 in. (563.2 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist
  Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1982 (1982.125)
  
• 
  Returning Home, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), ca. 1695
  Shitao (Zhu Ruoji) (Chinese, 1642–1707)
  Album of twelve paintings; ink and color on paper; Each painting leaf: 6 1/2 x 4 1/8 in. (16.5 x 10.5 cm); Each album leaf: 8 5/16 x 5 5/16 in. (21.1 x 13.5 cm); W. of double page: 10 5/8 in. (27 cm)
  Facing pages inscribed by the artist
  From the P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Family Collection
  Gift of Wen and Constance Fong, in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Dillon, 1976 (1976.280)
  
• 

  The Kangxi Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour, Scroll Three: Ji'nan to Mount Tai, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 1698
  Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717) and assistants
  Handscroll; ink and color on silk; 26 3/4 x 548 1/2 in. (67.8 x 1393.8 cm)
  Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1979 (1979.5)

• 
  Landscapes after Ancient Masters, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1677
  Gao Cen (Chinese, active 1643–after 1682)
  Album of ten paintings: ink and color on silk; Each leaf 8 1/8 x 8 3/8 in. (20.5 x 21.3 cm)
  Purchase, C. C. Wang Gift, 2007 (2007.50)
  
• 
  Fish and Rocks, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1699
  Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) (Chinese, 1626–1705)
  Hanging scroll; ink on paper; 53 x 23 7/8 in. (134.6 x 60.6 cm)
  Inscribed by the artist
  Bequest of John M. Crawford, Jr., 1988 (1989.363.137)
  
• 
  Emperor Guan, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
  Unidentified Artist (Chinese, ca. 1700)
  Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk; 68 1/8 x 36 7/16 in. (173 x 42.6 cm)
  Purchase, The B. Y. Lam Fund and Friends of Asian Art Gifts, in honor of Douglas Dillon, 2001 (2001.442)
  
• 
  Wangchuan Villa, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1711
  Wang Yuanqi (Chinese, 1642–1715)
  Handscroll; ink and color on paper; 14 X 214 9/16 in. (35.6 X 545 cm)
  Artist's inscriptions mounted in front of and following painting
  Ex coll.: C. C. Wang Family
  Purchase, Douglas Dillon Gift, 1977 (1977.80)
  
• 
  One Hundred Horses, datable to 1728
  Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining) (Italian, 1688–1766)
  Handscroll; ink on paper; 37 x 310 3/4 in. (94 x 789.3 cm)
  Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, in honor of Douglas Dillon, 1991 (1991.134)
  
• 
  Portrait of the Imperial Bodyguard Zhanyinbao, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1760
  Unidentified Artist (Chinese, 18th century)
  Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk; H. 74 1/4 in. (188.6 cm), W. 37 7/16 in. (95.1 cm)
  Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1986 (1986.206)
  
• 
  The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour, Scroll Six: Entering Suzhou and the Grand Canal, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), dated 1770
  Xu Yang (Chinese, active ca. 1750–76)
  Handscroll; ink and color on silk; 27 1/8 x 784 1/2 in. (168.8 x 1994 cm)
  Inscribed by Yu Minzhong (1714–1780)
  Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1988 (1988.350)
  

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In 1644, the Manchus, a semi-nomadic people from northeast of the Great Wall, conquered the crumbling Ming state and established their own Qing (or Pure) dynasty, which lasted nearly 300 years. During the first half of this period, the Manchus extended their rule over a vast empire that grew to encompass new territories in Central Asia, Tibet, and Siberia. The Manchus also established their hegemony over Chinese cultural traditions as an important means of demonstrating their legitimacy as Confucian-style rulers.

The court became a leading patron in the arts as China enjoyed an extended period of political stability and economic prosperity.

Related

Timelines (5)

• Central and North Asia, 1600–1800 a.d.
• China, 1600–1800 a.d.
• Himalayan Region, 1600–1800 a.d.
• Japan, 1600–1800 a.d.
• Korea, 1600–1800 a.d.

Primary Thematic Essays (5)

• Landscape Painting in Chinese Art
• Nature in Chinese Culture
• The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Loyalists And Individualists
• The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): The Courtiers, Officials, and Professional Artists
• The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): The Traditionalists

Other Thematic Essays (21)

• Art of the Edo Period (1615–1868 A.D.)
• Chinese Calligraphy
• Chinese Cloisonné
• Chinese Gardens and Collectors' Rocks
• Chinese Handscrolls
• Joseon Buncheong Ware: Between Celadon and Porcelain
• Life of the Buddha
• List of Rulers of China
• Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
• Mountain and Water: Korean Landscape Painting, 1400-1800
• Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127)
• Painting Formats in East Asian Art
• Qin Dynasty (221–206 B.C.)
• Scholar-Officials of China
• Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279)
• The Kano School of Painting
• Traditional Chinese Painting in the Twentieth Century
• Wang Hui (1632–1717)
• Work and Leisure: 18th-Century Korean Genre Painting
• Yangban: The Cultural Life of the Joseon Literati
• Yuan Dynasty (1271

Maps (2)

• East Asia, 1600-1800 A.D.
• World, 1600-1800 A.D.

Index Terms (33)

Art Movement/Style

• Ming Dynasty of China
• Qing Dynasty of China

Artist

• Bada Shanren, or Zhu Da (Chinese, 1626–1705)
• Castiglione, Giuseppe (Italian, 1688–1766)
• Fan Qi (Chinese, 1616–after 1694)
• Gao Cen (Chinese, active 1643–after 1682)
• Gong Xian (Chinese, 1619–1689)
• Kuncan (Chinese, 1612–1673)
• Shitao, or Zhu Ruoji (Chinese, 1642–1707)
• Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717)
• Wang Shimin (Chinese, 1592–1680)
• Wang Yuanqi (Chinese, 1642–1715)
• Wu Li (Chinese, 1632–1718)
• Xu Yang (Chinese, active ca. 1750–76)
• Yuan Jiang (Chinese, active ca. 1690–1746)

Geography/Place

• Central and North Asia
• China

Material and Technique

• Calligraphy from East Asia
• Painting in Ink on Paper from China
• Painting in Ink on Silk from China

Object

• Scroll on Paper
• Scroll on Silk

Subject Matter/Theme

• Cartography
• Daoist Deity
• Landscape from China
• Literature and Literary Connections
• Self–Portraiture from East Asia
• Buddhist Scroll
• Painting with Seasonal Imagery
• Scroll with Seasonal Imagery
• Spring
• Summer
• Winter

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The brilliant reigns of the Kangxi (r. 1662–1722) and Qianlong (r. 1736–95) emperors display a period when the Manchus embraced Chinese cultural traditions and the court became a leading patron in the arts as China enjoyed an extended period of political stability and economic prosperity.



Three principal groups of artists were working during the Qing: the traditionalists, who sought to revitalize painting through the creative reinterpretation of past models; the individualists, who practiced a deeply personal form of art that often carried a strong message of political protest; and the courtiers, the officials, and the professional artists who served at the Manchu court.



Maxwell K. Hearn Department of Asian Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Citation Hearn, Maxwell K. "The Qing Dynasty (1644–1911): Painting". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/qing_1/hd_qing_1.htm (October 2003) Further Reading Barnhart, Richard M., et al. Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting. New Haven and Beijing: Yale University Press and Foreign Languages Press, 1997. Barnhart, Richard M., Wen C. Fong, and Maxwell K. Hearn Mandate of Heaven: Emperors and Artists in China: Chinese Painting and Calligraphy from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exhibition catalogue.. Zürich: Museum Rietberg, 1996. Cahill, James Chinese Painting. Geneva: Skira, 1960. Related exhibitions and online features Special Exhibitions (including upcoming, current, and past exhibitions)

These related Museum Bulletin or Journal articles may or may not represent the most current scholarship. Tom, Philip M. W. "Some Notable Sabers of the Qing Dynasty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 36 (2001). JSTOR | PDF Fong, Wen, and Maxwell K. Hearn "Silent Poetry: Chinese Paintings in the Douglas Dillon Galleries." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 39, no. 3 (Winter, 1981–82). JSTOR | PDF Valenstein, Suzanne G. "Highlights of Chinese Ceramics." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 33, no. 3 (Autumn, 1975). JSTOR | PDF | Supplemental PDFs "Director’s Note" PDF Mailey, Jean "Ancestors and Tomb Robes." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New ser., v. 22, no. 3 (November, 1963). JSTOR | PDF