清 蕭雲從 太平山水圖 版本|Landscapes of Taiping Prefecture

Xiao Yuncong

ca. 1650 · Woodblock-printed books; ink on paper · Asian Art

In 1648, the artist Xiao Yuncong designed a printed book of images that celebrate the mountain scenery of central Anhui Province. The book was commissioned by Zhang Wanxuan, who served as an official in Anhui at the beginning of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Prior to Xiao’s time, famous artists rarely designed prints; the adoption of this medium by Xiao and a few of his contemporaries reflects the porous boundaries between “high” and “low” culture during the seventeenth century. This relatively affordable printed book disseminated the tradition of local scenery paintings—and the stunning vistas of Anhui Province—to a wider audience.

Artist

Xiao Yuncong

Date

ca. 1650

Medium

Woodblock-printed books; ink on paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1924