National Anthropological Archives

Guide to MS 7162 Book of Chinese watercolor paintings illustrating modes of punishment

Summary

Collection ID:
NAA.MS7162
Creators:
Morse, Charles H.
Dates:
before 1825
Languages:
The title of the album is in
Chinese
. Explanatory notes are in
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Volume
cloth-bound album containing 12 watercolor paintings on pith paper
9.5 x 13.5 inches (bound volume), 8 x 11.5 inches (paintings)
1 Folder
2 sets of 16 pages of notes
Repository:
Container:
7162 / 7421 / 7508 / 7591
1

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
A cloth-bound album containing twelve (12) watercolor paintings on pith paper. The paintings depict various modes of corporal punishment. The Chinese title, Xing ren zhuang ren, or "Punishment with Strong Sword Blades" is apparently figurative, for the twelve drawings in this collection depict punishments other than those by the sword. Included with the album are two sets of explanatory notes written by the donor and/or a United States National Museum curator or clerk. The two sets of notes have slight differences.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Chinese export watercolors were painted in the port cities of China for sale to western customers in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the watercolors were done in sets such as trades, domestic interiors and gardens, boats, birds, mandarins, and punishments.

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
The album was donated to the United States National Museum by Charles H. Morse of the U. S. Pension Office in 1876. A note indicates that it was "procured from China in 1825." The album and accompanying notes were transferred from the object collections of the Department of Anthropology to the National Anthropological Archives by Chang-su Houchins in February 1985.
Processing Information
English titles for the album and most paintings were provided by the donor. A label with an English title was added to the album cover by USNM. The archivist assigned titles in square brackets [] to untitled paintings.

Digital Content

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Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Preferred Citation
MS 7162 Book of Chinese watercolor paintings illustrating modes of punishment, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution

More Information

Local Numbers

Local Numbers
USNM Accession Number: 4505
USNM Catalog Number: 21249

Variant Titles

Variant Titles
Punishment with strong sword blades
Xing ren zhuang ren


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Chinese Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watercolors Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
East Asia Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Corporal punishment Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Albums Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
China trade watercolor painting Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
China Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Works of art Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Anthropological Archives
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