Album of the Note on Respect of Elders composed by the Qianlong Emperor
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Not on view
In China, jade albums have a long history that can be traced back to the Tang dynasty (618–907). This album presents an innovation on the form dating to the Qianlong period. On each two-page spread, the text on the right is handwritten in gold pigment on a special dark paper, while on the left-hand page the same calligraphy is incised on a jade plaque. The book reflects the meticulous way artists in the eighteenth-century imperial workshop created artwork to meet the emperor’s taste.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.