DRAFT 1 the Qianlong Emperor's Conquests 平定西城戰圖depictions
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DRAFT The Qianlong Emperor’s Conquests 平定西城戰圖 Depictions of Victories over the Eleuths, Dzungars and Other Central Asian Peoples in Xinjiang French engravers: Jacques-Philippe Le Bas (1707-83), Jacques Aliamet (1726-88), Augustin de Saint-Aubin (1736-1807), Benoît Louis Prévost (1747-ca. 1804), Pierre Phillipe Choffard (1730-1809), Joseph Masquelier (1741-1811), François Denis Née (1732-1817), and Nicholas de Launay (1739-92), under direction of and with modifications by the Secretary- Historiographer of the Academy of Painting, Charles-Nicholas Chochin fils (1715-90), after drawings by Guiseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining 郎世寧) (1688-1766), an Italian Jesuit; Jean-Denis Attiret (Wang Zhicheng 王志誠 1702-1768), a French Jesuit; Ignatius Sichelbart (Ai Qimeng 艾啟蒙 1707-1780), a Bohemian Jesuit; and Giovanni Damasceno (An Deyi 安 德義 d. 1781), an Italian Augustinian. Paris. Etching and engraving from a copperplate on Grand Luovois paper; 57.3 x 92.5 cm (image). 16 plates of pictures accompanied by 16 plates of poems and prose, plus 1 preface by the Qianlong emperor in woodblock print form dated to February-March 1766, 1 postface dated to the 7th month of the 44th year of the Qianlong reign (1779) in handwritten form by Gioro Tuside 覺蘿圖思德 (d. 1779), Manchu Bannerman (Bordered Yellow Banner 鑲黄旗人), President of the Board of War and former Governor General of Hubei and Hunan provinces, to which is added in the margins an inscription by his grandson Bingcheng 炳成, dating to the 12th day of the 4th month of the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign (May 11, 1843); 1 undated postface in woodblock print form by the officials Liu Tongxun 劉統勳 (1700-1773), Alikun 阿里袞 (d. 1769), Yin Jishan 尹繼善 (1696-1771), Fuheng 傳恆 (d. 1769), Suhede 舒赫德 (1711-1777), Yu Minzhong 于 敏中 (1714-1780). Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart. 2004.18.68. The Qianlong Emperor’s preface The army stationed in the West successfully achieved its task in 1759. It is only a little more than seven years from the end of the battles, in 1766, that the drawings of the conquests were finished. The painters needed this space of time in order to meticulously inquire into [what] the forms of the camps and battles [looked like] so as to compose their designs. Of the officers and soldiers who left for the campaigns and risked their lives at extreme odds, one out of a hundred survived. Giving their lives to the state ensured that their campaigns were successful, so how could I suggest that they die without recognition? That is why in the Throne Hall of the Purple Effulgent Pole Star (Ziguangge 紫光閣) we have had the portraits painted of those who distinguished themselves. And because of this motivation, we went to the bloody battlefields, we faithfully depicted the circumstances where attacks were made on our strongholds--where we broke the ardour of the enemy, beheaded the generals, and stole the flags--in order to pay homage to their efforts and to celebrate their courage. When I reviewed the military reports I dedicated some poems to them, and I rewrote them to be placed between the folios. For the six scenes that I had not yet touched with my brush [meaning he had yet inscribed them with poetry], I have dedicated special supplementary poems. When I hear the sound of the drums, then [I am reminded] of the generals and soldiers, who are our state. These paintings inspired the same feeling in me. Before the completion of these paintings, I constantly imagined myself touring the battleground even during my busy dealings of government affairs at court. Now with these paintings that show 1 DRAFT everything vividly before my eyes, I feel as if I am commanding the soldiers on the battlefield… Sorrowfully inscribed by the Qianlong emperor in the spring of February-March, 1766 L’armée [qui opérait] dans l’Ouest a achevé sa tâche en ki-mao [jimao, 1759] et ce n’est que sept ans après, en ping-siu [bingxu, 1766] que les dessins des combats ont été achevés. C’est que pour s’enquérir en détail de l’aspect des camps et des combats et pour en composer des dessins, il a faillu des saisons et des jours. Des officiers et soldats qui sont partis en campagne, cent sont morts pour un qui survécu. Ils ont donné leur force pour l’État, et grâce à eux l’œuvre a été achevée; comment pourrais-je supporter qu’ils disparussent ignorés? C’est pourquoi au Tseu-kouang-ko [Ziguang ge] on reproduit actuellement les portraits des sujets qui sont distingués. Quant à ces [dessins-] ci, on s’est rendu dans tous les endroits où le sang avait coulé dans les combats, et on a retracé fidèlment les circonstances où on a attaqué des positions fortes, brisé l’ardeur [de l’ennemi], décapité ses généraux, enlevé ses drapeaux, afin de rendre hommage à tant d’efforts et de célébrer tant de courage. Dans tous les cas où, en ouvrant les bulletins de victoire, je leur avais déjà consacré des poèmes, je les ai écrits entre les feuillets [des gravures]. Quant aux [scènes] pour lesquelles je n’avais pas encore pris le pinceau, et qui sont au nombre de six, je leur ai consacré ici spécialement des poèmes supplémentaires… Paul Pelliot, “Les Conquêtes de l’Empereur de la Chine,” T’oung Pao vol. 20 (1921): 256. 西師定功扵已卯,越七年丙戌 戰圖始成,因詳詢軍營征戰形 勢,以及結構丹青,有需時日也。 夫我將士出百死一生,為國宣力 頼以有成, 而使其泯滅無聞,朕 啟忍為哉。是以紫光閣既 勒有 功臣之像,而此則為就血戰之地, 繪其功堅斫銳,斬將搴旗實蹟 以旌厥勞而表厥勇。尔時披露 布已有成詠者,即書之帧間,其 未經點筆者,茲特補詠,凡六事。 禮不云乎:聽鼓轚之聲,則思將 帥之臣。 按是圖也,有不啻若是之 感?先是宵旰勤勞,雖日神馳扵 連營列陣之間,此則目擊心存,竟 如指揮諸將士扵折衝禦侮之 際,而痛定之懼,予惟益欽 天眷扵無窮,凜月盈扵有永遑,敢 自詡謀伐而無兢業哉 2 DRAFT 乾隆丙戌孟春月悵題 Imperial seals on album leafs: A. Qianlong chenhan 乾隆宸翰 Qianlong’s Imperial Calligraphy (square relief) B. Qinshu dao qusheng 琴書道趣生 Taking Pleasure in the Way of Music and Calligraphy (square intaglio) C. Wei Jing Wei Yi 惟精惟一 (square intaglio) D. Qian 乾 (round relief) E. Long 隆 (square relief) F. Qian 乾 (square relief, with intaglio border) G. Long 隆 (square intaglio, with relief border) 1. Ignatius Sichelbart. 平定伊梨受降 Receiving the Surrender of the Ili. Engraved by Benoît Louis Prévost. 1769. image: 2004.19.68.1.26; poem: 2004.19.68.1.5 2. Guiseppe Castiglione. 格登鄂拉斫營 Storming the Encampment at Gadan-Ola. Engraved by Jacques-Philippe Le Bas. 1769. image: 2004.19.68.1.2; poem: 2004.19.68.1.1 3. Unknown artist. 鄂壘扎拉圖之戰 The Battle of Oroï-jalatu. Engraved by Jacques- Philippe Le Bas. 1770. image: 2004.19.68.1.31; poem: 2004.19.68.1.20 4. Giovanni Damasceno. 庫隴癸之戰 The Battle of Khurungui. Engraved by Jacques Aliamet. 1767-74. image: 2004.19.68.1.28; poem: 2004.19.68.1.6 5. Jean-Denis Attiret. 和落霍澌之捷 The Victory of Khorgas. Engraved by Jacques- Philippe Le Bas. 1774. image: 2004.19.68.1.34; poem: 2004.19.68.1.19 6. Giovanni Damasceno. 烏什酋長獻城降 The Chief of Us (Turfan) Surrendering with His City. Engraved by Pierre Phillipe Choffard. 1774. image: 2004.19.68.1.27; poem: 2004.19.68.1.15 7. Unknown artist. 通古斯魯克之戰 The Battle of Tonguzluq. Engraved by Augustin de Saint-Aubin. 1773. image: 2004.19.68.1.35; poem: 2004.19.68.1.18 8. Guiseppe Castiglione. 黑水圍解 Raising the Siege of Qara usu (Black River). Engraved by Jacques-Philippe Le Bas. 1771. image: 2004.19.68.1.30; poem: 2004.19.68.1.16 9. Giovanni Damasceno. 呼爾滿大捷 The Grand Victory of Qurman. Engraved by Augustin de Saint-Aubin. 1770. image: 2004.19.68.1.33; poem: 2004.19.68.1.17 10. Jean-Denis Attiret. 阿爾楚爾之戰 The Battle of d’Arcul/Aroul. Engraved by Jacques Aliamet. 1767-74. image: 2004.19.68.1.36; poem: 2004.19.68.1.12 11. Giovanni Damasceno. 伊西洱庫尔淖尔之戰 The Battle of Yesil-kor-nor. Engraved by Nicholas de Launay. 1772. image: 2004.19.68.1.29; poem: 2004.19.68.1.11 12. Unknown artist. 霍斯庫魯克之戰 The Battle of Qos-Qulaq. Engraved by Benoît Louis Prévost. 1774. image: 2004.19.68.1.32; poem: 2004.19.68.1.10 13. Giovanni Damasceno. 拔達山汗納款 The Khan of Badakstan Contributing Funds. Engraved by Pierre Phillipe Choffard. 1772. image: 2004.19.68.1.23; poem: 2004.19.68.1.13 14. Jean-Denis Attiret. 平定回部獻俘 Presenting the Emperor with Prisoners Taken During the Pacification. Engraved by Joseph Masquelier. 1767-74. image: 2004.19.68.1.25; poem: 2004.19.68.1.14 3 DRAFT 15. Giovanni Damasceno. 郊勞回部成功諸將士 The Emperor Giving a Victory Banquet for Muslim Officers and Soldiers. Engraved by Denis Née. 1772. image: 2004.19.68.1.22; poem: 2004.19.68.1.21 16. Unknown artist. 凱宴成功諸將士 The Emperor Giving a Victory Banquet for Officers and Soldiers. Engraved by Jacques-Philippe Le Bas. 1770. image: 2004.19.68.1.24; poem: 2004.19.68.1.9 Literature Beurdeley, Cécile and Michel. Guiseppe Castiglione: A Jesuit Painter at the Court of the Chinese Emperors. London: Lund Humphries, esp. 79-88. China on Paper: European and Chinese works from the late sixteenth to the early nineteenth century. Los Angeles: The Getty Institute, 2007. From Beijing to Versailles, Artistic Relations Between China and France. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1997. Fuchs, W. “Der Kupferdruck in China vom 10. Bis 19. Jahrhundert.” Gutenberg Jahrbuch (1950): 67-87. Fuchs, W. “Die Entwürfe der Schlachtenkupfer der Kienlung – und Taokuangzeit.” Monumenta Serica. 9 (1944): 101-122. Nie Chongzheng 聶崇正金, ed. Qingdai yuzhi tongbanhua 清代御製銅版畫 [Palace Copperplate Etchings of the Qing Dynasty]. Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1999. Pelliot, Paul. “Les Conquêtes de l’Empereur de la Chine.” T’oung Pao.