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All Nations Coming to Court

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)

Not on view

Groups of figures, some with grotesque features, gather before the gates of the Forbidden City. Flags indicate they are representatives of the Netherlands, Japan, and the fictitious “country of pierced chests,” among others. Tributaries coming to court has been a subject of court painting since at least the Tang dynasty (618–907). In the Kangxi period, when this print was made, the actual event took place during the New Year’s celebrations. The courtly subject thus became suitable for auspicious pictures associated with the New Year.

All Nations Coming to Court, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, China — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Wanguo laichao

Title: All Nations Coming to Court

Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)

Culture: China

Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Dimensions: Image: 15 1/2 x 23 7/16 in. (39.3 x 59.6 cm)
Overall: 20 1/16 x 26 15/16 in. (50.9 x 68.4 cm)

Classification: Prints

Credit Line: On loan from the British Museum

The Met

Asian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world.