Chinese New Year’s Poster
Artist Unknown
Description
Subject Matter:
A "Picture of 100 Sons" shows groups of children engaging in various activites such as reading, games, music, and art. This image uses space (pillars and floor levels) to divide the image into different groups and scenes, where each group of children focuses on a unique activity, illustrating numerous ways children engage with each other. This kind of representation is often found in Chinese households that links together progeny with the anticipated well-being of a family as the parents age. This is a visual metaphor of domestic health, representing the prospective continuation of a family's lineage.
Physical Description:
This is a woodblock print on paper of a collage of children enjoying various activites. The print is red, blue-gray, and pale yellow and has a floral border. The overall shape of the print resembles a circle but edges of the border cave in and out. The print shows groups of children engaged in various activies who are separated by pillars and floor levels. The print is divided into three levels: top, middle, and bottom. In the top level, a group of children are riding a carriage, and another group of children are playing a board game. In the middle level, it shows children reading from a scroll. In the bottom level, it shows a group of children playing musical instruments, playing games, and writing or painting.
Usage Rights:
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