Poem to 'Battle of Arcul'

Woodblock print of poem written by the Qianlong Emperor to accompany 'Battle of Arcul' from the 'Conquests of the Western Regions' printed in ink on paper in China in the 1770s. At the command of the Qianlong Emperor, a series of sixteen copperplate prints commemorating campaigns in Central Eurasia was made in Paris. The completed copperplate prints were sent from Paris to China where accompanying texts including poems by the emperor were printed with woodblocks. The Chester Beatty has a complete set of these printed battles and accompanying texts: CBL C 1656 to CBL C 1689.