Gezicht op een deel van het keizerlijk zomerpaleis in Chengde (Jehol) te China 1712 - 1714

Matteo Ripa created this print depicting part of the Imperial Summer Palace in Chengde, China. Here we see how the image creates meaning through visual codes relating to Chinese culture, such as the depiction of an idealized and harmonious landscape in contrast to Western ideas of beauty. Ripa was an Italian missionary and artist who lived in China during the Qing Dynasty in the early 18th century. His unique position as a European in the Chinese court allowed him to document the imperial gardens in Chengde, offering a glimpse into the private world of the emperor. The very act of documenting and disseminating images of the Palace challenges its inherent exclusivity. The print invites the viewer to consider how the power dynamics of the time, and the act of cultural exchange, influenced the creation and reception of such images, and how these images may have challenged existing social norms. Examining archival materials and historical accounts from both European and Chinese perspectives helps us understand the complex social and institutional context in which this artwork was produced.