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Dragonfly hovering over a branch with yellow flowers. From an edition of The Mustard Seed Garden Manual
Dragonfly hovering over a branch with yellow flowers. From an edition of The Mustard Seed Garden Manual

Dragonfly hovering over a branch with yellow flowers. From an edition of The Mustard Seed Garden Manual

Dateca. 1750-1850
MediumColor woodblock print
Dimensions10 1/4 x 11 5/8 inches (26 x 29.5 cm)
CultureChina
PeriodQing dynasty
ClassificationsPrints
Credit LineAcquired through the Friends of the Museum Purchase Fund
Terms
  • green
  • Animals
  • Dragonflies
  • Flowers
  • Insects
  • Trees
  • Paper
Object number75.077.001
Label CopyThe Mustard Seed Garden is a manual on techniques of Chinese painting, first published in the late 17th century. The first complete edition, which included bird-and-flower type subjects, was issued in 1701 and was illustrated from engraved woodblocks. Later editions in the late 19th century were done by the lithographic process. While the recently-acquired prints do not fit the format of the original edition which had fine black--line frames around the illustrations measuring about 5" x 8", the fact that they are woodblock prints would possibly put them in a middle period, mid-18th to mid-19th century. More research needs to be done on this.
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