Chieftain Wushe Surrendering the City: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of the Rebellions in the Western Regions, with imperial Poems

1770

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Romanticism 18th Century History Painting Qianlong Reign

Dominant colour

Chieftain Wushe Surrendering the City: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of the Rebellions in the Western Regions, with imperial Poems is a 1770 by Jean Damascene Sallusti, a Romanticism work, depicting Qianlong Reign, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Jean Damascene Sallusti
When & what style?: 1770 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This etching shows a man kneeling in front of a fortress, handing over a city’s keys. It’s part of a set made for Emperor Qianlong to celebrate his army’s victories in Central Asia. The emperor even wrote poems to go with each picture, bragging about his generals. If you like this bold style, check out Jean Damascene Sallusti (Italian, died 1781).

The story of this work

Overview

This set of etchings was commissioned by Emperor Qianlong to record in pictorial terms the courage of his generals and soldiers in quelling the rebellions in the Western Regions. Qianlong added his own poem to each of the etchings, indicating his appreciation and pride in this demonstration of military might. "Western Regions" refers to the present-day Xingjiang province, often described in Western writing as "Central Asia."

Read the full account in the museum source.