Battle Scene from the Nian Rebellion

A large painting on silk depicting the Nian Rebellion in a landscape with cliffs, mountains, and trees. A strategic perspective, which oversees all of the action from above, allows the viewer to see the swirling government armies in their pursuit of the rebellious Nian. There are small groups of buildings throughout the top third of the painting. Cavalry and infantry are in active combat, with many casualties seen spread around the battlefield. Notable figures have small name plates positioned above their heads to identify them to the viewer.

This painting is part of a larger series of approximately 70 paintings commissioned by the Guangxu Emperor in 1885, approved by Empress Dowager Cixi in 1886, and completed in 1890. These paintings - split into four groups - commemorate the Taiping War, the Nian Rebellion, the Muslim Rebellion in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, and the Muslim Rebellion on the southwest and northwest borders. The military prowess of the Qing government is highlighted and glorified in each of these paintings. Two of these paintings are accessioned in the Mactaggart Art Collection, please see Battle Scene from the Nian Rebellion (2004.19.49).