The Hundred Sons
Medium
Handscroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
9 3/4 x 101 1/2 in. (24.8 x 257.8 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming (1368–1644) or Qing (1644–1911) dynasty
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Edward S. Harkness, 1942
Accession Number
42.68.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Hundred Sons*, a handscroll from Ming (1368–1644) or Qing (1644–1911) dynasty China, now treasured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Crafted by an unidentified artist using ink and on luxurious silk, this elongated painting measures just under 10 inches high but stretches over 8 feet long (9 3/4 x 101 1/2 in.). Handscrolls like this were designed for intimate viewing: unrolled section by section on a table, revealing scenes gradually like a narrative unfolding in time—a hallmark of Chinese scroll painting tradition. The title evokes a joyous procession of boys at play, symbolizin...