The striking illustrated books, maps, and prints featured in China on Paper are some of the most notable among the printed works produced at the dawn of the era of global trade to present China to Europe and to bring Western science, religion, and art to China. From a Chinese translation of the rosary to French editions of Confucian classics, from a monumental map of the world to magnificent engravings of the European Pavilions built by Jesuits at the behest of the Qianlong emperor, these works on paper reveal a compelling and largely hidden history of mutual curiosity and fruitful collaboration at a time when few people traveled far from home.
This volume is published in conjunction with an exhibition on view at the Getty Research Institute from November 6, 2007, to February 10, 2008.