Palace Women and Children Celebrating the New Year

About this artwork

The courtyard of this large two-storied building is occupied by a group of elegantly attired palace ladies surrounding two small boys, probably young princes, who cover their ears in anticipation as one of the women kneels to light a firecracker. A third boy looks on from a nearby room, while a small group of children and servants approach the entrance gate with a large brocade-covered ball. Other women sit at a table on the ground floor of the building as a serving girl affixes a portrait of Zh...