painting; album BM-1877-0714-0.1084-1107

Period:Qing dynasty Production date:19thC
Materials:paper
Technique:painted
Subjects:opera murder/murderer execution torture married life
Dimensions:Height: 47.70 centimetres (album) Width: 59.50 centimetres (album)

Description:
Set of 24 paintings depicting different scenes relating to an opera about a murder of a husband by his consort and her lover, which happened in the Shanxi province. Watercolour on paper. Correct sequence of scenes depicted: 1. The husband (Diao of Nanlou) and some other men get to know each other. (1877, 0714,0.1097) 2. The men vow for the heavenly god in a temple (神廟) to be brothers. Inscribed. (1877, 0714,0.1084) 3. A gathering at home with female family members. (1877,0714,0.1086) 4. Diao gets crossed by a man (servant?). (1877,0714,0.1096) 5. Diao leaves home for a trip. (1877,0714,0.1100) 6. The consort’s lover (Huang) climbs over the garden wall to meet the consort (Liu) and her maid (Zou) accompanies her. (1877,0714,0.1090) 7. Another maid sees some clothes at the garden. (1877,0714,0.1089) 8. A servant reports to the husband that some man’s clothes are found. (1877,0714,0.1087) 9. Diao goes to inspect Liu’s room and Huang is hiding under the table. (1877,0714,0.1094) 10. Liu poisons Diao. (1877,0714.1095) 11. Diao’s funeral. His spirit tablet (南樓貂公靈位) is on the altar. Inscribed. (1877,0714,0.1088) 12-13. Innocents are accused as the murderers and ask for family members’ help. (1877,0714,0.1101-1102) 14. Family members engage a literatus to write a letter of appeal. (1877,0714,0.1092) 15. Someone helps to approach and report to some high ranking officials. (1877,0714,0.1085) 16. A wise high ranking official is being promoted by the emperor. (1877,0714,0.1091) 17. Someone reports the case to the wise official. (1877,0714,0.1093 ?) 18. The wise official re-trials the case. (1877,0714,0.1098) 19. The wise official goes with his assistant/ soldiers for the court trial; 欽命 and 理刑廳 are inscribed on the lanterns. (1877,0714,0.1107) 20. The trial is held at a temple (城隍廟) which also serves the role as a court. and community hall. Inscribed. (1877,0714,0.1103) 21. The three criminals – Huang (黃), Liu (劉) in pink clothes and Zou (鄒) in white) – on their way to execution by the Criminal Department of Shanxi (山西理刑廳), with tablets tied to their backs detailing their surnames and punishment (beheading). Liu is sitting on a wooden cart in the shape of a donkey. Inscribed. (1877,0714,0.1106) 22. The officials and family members pray in front of for the husband’s spirit tablets (南樓貂公靈位) with the heads of the murderers. Inscribed. (1877,0714,0.1104) 23. Family members thank the officials. (1877,0714,0.1105) 24. With justice of the wise official, the innocents are saved and the family could live happily ever after. (1877,0714,0.1099)
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Comments:The costumes worn by the characters are Han style as most opera stories are based on the folk tales of pre-Qing dynasty period. The names of four major characters and main locations of the story have been indentified on the basis of inscriptions on five paintings in the set.The paintings were made in Canton (present-day Guangdong) in the 19thC for the export market to Europe and the USA. Although such sets were sometimes bound into albums at the time, this album is a later compilation, and the sequence of the paintings in it is incorrect. The correct sequence is provided in the Description. The names of four major characters and main locations of the story have been indentified on the basis of inscriptions on the seven paintings in the set.The costumes worn by the characters are Han style as most opera stories are based on the folktales of pre-Qing dynasty period. The wooden cart in the shape of a donkey was an instrument of torture especially for women who had committed adultery.