Untitled
Album TitleIllustrations to the Journey to the West
CultureChinese
Datelate 19th-early 20th century
MediumInk, color, and gold on paper
DimensionsImage: 10 1/2 × 8 inches (26.67 × 20.3 cm)
Sheet: 13 1/4 × 9 5/8 inches (33.66 × 24.45 cm)
Mat: 13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches (33.97 × 27.31 cm)
Sheet: 13 1/4 × 9 5/8 inches (33.66 × 24.45 cm)
Mat: 13 3/8 × 10 3/4 inches (33.97 × 27.31 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: the Asian Art Acquisition Fund in memory of Laurence Sickman
Object number2023.8.2.1
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 222
Collections
DescriptionThe painting in ink, color, and gold, features five square scenes. The scenes are framed by a painted border of two dragons on blue ground. It is a leaf from the album of 40 leaves depicting the popular story of Journey to the West (Xiyouji).Exhibition HistorySages and Heroes: Storytelling in Asian Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, April 12, 2025–November 30, 2025, no cat.
Based on a novel attributed to Wu Cheng’en (about
1500–1582), these works from an album illustrate the
story of Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King, who seeks
to transform himself into a superhero. His behavior,
however, brings trouble to the spiritual realm. The
Buddha must punish him, but Guanyin converts him
into a helper. The Monkey King then escorts a monk
along with guards named Pigsy, Sandy, and Dragon
Horse on a journey from China to India to attain
Buddhist scriptures.
The album artist animated the episodes using a colorful
style similar to the emerging newspaper or poster
illustrations of the late 1800s. These illustrations for
different episodes of the novel demonstrate the enduring
charm of this popular story.
James Ware (1859-1913)
By descent to his great granddaughters, Anna Michaela and Robyn Lines, United Kingdom.
Chiswick Auctions, London, 9/3/2019, Lot 333.
Alan Kennedy, Santa Monica, CA, 2019-2023
Purchased from Alan Kennedy by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, in 2023Lyon & Turnbull, The Hellenic Centre, 16-18 Paddington Street, London, W1U 5AS, Auction, Wednesday 15 May 2019, LOT 132 (online)
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