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Happy New Year

Unknown

1692

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Baroque Interior Kangxi Reign

Dominant colour

Happy New Year is a 1692 by Unknown, a Baroque work, depicting Kangxi Reign, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1692 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A red-and-gold paper print shows a man in a long robe holding a scroll that says “Happy New Year.” Around him are vases, bowls, and a teapot—all blue-and-white porcelain. This print was made to hang on a wall during the Chinese New Year. It’s one of the first colorful, single-sheet prints sold in cities like Suzhou. People bought them to decorate their homes for the holiday. To see more prints from this time, look up china, qing dynasty (1644–1911), kangxi reign (1622–1722).

The story of this work

Overview

In the 1600s, printing flourished in such Jiangnan cities as Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Huizhou, evolving from privately enjoyed illustrated books printed in color to more commercialized single-sheet color prints that were hung on walls and became part of the rich urban visual culture.

Did you know?

Woodblock printing in color reached a height in China in the 1600s to 1700s. The prints were executed by means of sets of separate blocks, each carved to print a different color.

Read the full account in the museum source.