A Lady and Her Maid
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 37 x 21 7/8 in. (94 x 55.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1941
Accession Number
CP356
Tags
Art Historical Context
This 19th-century polychrome woodblock print, titled *A Lady and Her Maid*, offers a vivid glimpse into everyday life during China’s Qing dynasty. Created with ink and color on paper a meticulous multi-block printing process, the work highlights the technical sophistication of Chinese printmaking at the time. Vibrant hues and precise lines allowed such images to circulate widely, bringing colorful scenes of domestic elegance into homes across the empire. The composition centers on two women—one elegantly attired, the other attending her—surrounded by delicate flowers, a motif often associated...