Schildering van drie westerlingen

Zhang Rulin, 1738

The devil hunter Zhong Kui in European dress. China, 1783. Signed Zhang Rulin of Minzhong. Ink and colours on silk. A European print was clearly employed as the basis for the depiction of this subject. The Chinese called Westerners 'red-haired devils'. That is probably what gave the artist the idea of portraying this Chinese exorciser of devils, Zhong Kui, as a European. Paintings of the devil hunter accompanied by one or two demons were made especially to be shown at new year. Bats and peaches ? symbols of goodluck and long life ? are always featured in these pictures.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberAK-MAK-1410
  • Dimensionsheight 122.6 cm x width 101.5 cm x width 125 cm x depth 6.5 cm x weight 2 kg, height 6.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicsinkt en verfstof op zijde

Identification

  • Title(s)

    Schildering van drie westerlingen

  • Object type

  • Object number

    AK-MAK-1410

  • Description

    Schildering van drie westerlingen.

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Zhang Rulin, China

  • Dating

    1738

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    inkt en verfstof op zijde

  • Dimensions

    • height 122.6 cm x width 101.5 cm x width 125 cm x depth 6.5 cm x weight 2 kg
    • height 6.5 cm

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands (purchase Mrs Heybroek, 1987)

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    …; purchased from Mrs Heybroek, The Hague, by the Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst, 1987;{Note RMA.} from whom on loan to the museum, 1987

Documentation

  • Klaas Ruitenbeek, 'Westerlingen in de achttiende-eeuwse Chinese kunst', Aziatische Kunst 20/4 (1990), pp. 10-22.

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