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

This print shows part of the Emperor’s Summer Palace in Chengde, China, as seen through the eyes of Matteo Ripa, an Italian missionary and artist, sometime before his death in 1746. Ripa served as a painter and engraver at the Qing court. The power dynamics inherent in cultural exchange during the 18th century are central to understanding this image. As a European in the service of the Chinese court, Ripa’s perspective was inevitably shaped by his own cultural background and the expectations of his patrons. His presence there as a Jesuit missionary adds another layer to this dynamic. Consider how Ripa, trained in European artistic conventions, interpreted and represented Chinese architecture and landscape. Does he fully embrace the aesthetic principles of Chinese art, or does he subtly impose his own sensibilities? What does it mean to translate the other? What gets lost? What is gained? Ultimately, this print prompts us to reflect on the complexities of cross-cultural representation and the role of the artist as a mediator between different worlds.