Abstract:

Painted for the young Qianlong Emperor in 1736, "A City of Cathay" is an 11-meter handscroll by artists of the Qing court. It depicts a captivating vision of urban life centuries earlier in the Northern Song capital (modern Kaifeng), on the day of the springtime Qingming festival. Here you will find a wedding procession with colorful banners and musicians; a lively outdoor opera; performing monkeys, acrobats and a tight-rope walker; and the happy, carefree lives of the common people. Its energy, accessibility and meticulous detail rank this among the greatest of Chinese paintings. Enter medieval China's age of wealth and witness the rich texture of Chinese life in imperial times.