Seven Heavenly Emperors
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
63 1/8 x 39 5/8 in. (160.3 x 100.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming (1368–1644) or Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Dorsay Foundation, 1957
Accession Number
57.116.2
Art Historical Context
Behold the striking *Seven Heavenly Emperors*, magnificent hanging scroll from China's Ming (1368–4) or Qing (1644–1911), now gracing the Metropolitan Museum of's Asian Art collection.ed by an unidentified artist using ink and color on paper, this-scale work measures over five feet tall, designed for dramatic vertical display. Hanging scrolls like this were prized in traditional Chinese homes, temples, scholarly studios, unrolled for contemplation during special occasions and then carefully stored to preserve their vibrancy. The composition likely celebrates celestial rulers from Chinese cosm...