Pair of screens with scenes from Romance of the West Chamber
Small screens of lacquer or ivory were used as decoration for a desk or study in the Ming and Qing periods. This pair depicts two episodes from Romance of the West Chamber (Xixiang Ji), one of the most popular novels in China. The story recounts star-crossed lovers: the impoverished scholar Zhang Gong and Cui Yingying, the daughter of a retired chancellor. In their first encounter, seen on the lefthand panel, the hero is enthralled by the beauty of the heroine. On the righthand panel, Yingying prays on a moonlit night.
Artwork Details
- 清 剔紅西廂故事圖插屏一對
- Title: Pair of screens with scenes from Romance of the West Chamber
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
- Date: 18th–19th century
- Culture: China
- Medium: Carved red lacquer
- Dimensions: Screen (each): 8 5/8 x 5 in. (21.9 x 12.7 cm)
- Classification: Lacquer
- Credit Line: John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
- Object Number: 13.220.49a–d
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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