Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 11. (Budapest, 1991)

FERENCZY Mária: A modernizáció megjelenése a századeleji kínai ábrázolásokon

in a traditional house. The representation of space on the picture is characterized by a diagonal line separating it into a heavenly and an earthly sphere, the earthly world being represented by a triangular part in the lower right-hand corner. As the two spheres are not connected with each other anywhere, a wide perspective is suggested, a delicate means of composition to convey the atmosphere of the scene.

19 The fence of the Heavenly Palace with the firs, the gateway, the pai lou and the pavilions with their coloured roofs, with the clay figures on their top warding off lightning and evil influences, the magical column — the characteristic outward appearance of an imperial palace in fact — form at the same time a background to the story and symbolize the height of wealth. The representation of these, together with the fir-trees symbolizing long life, are essential elements in the picture even without a causal link with the story itself. The magic function of the picture is fulfilled even by the elements taken singly or by the associations evoked by them (which arc not necessarily connected with each other): long life, riches and many offspring are promised the holders of the picture. This fine picture was very popular not because of its mythical content, but rather on account of the magical omens that could have been associated with it: the image of a happy marriage with sons overcoming every difficulty could be the best omen possible for a family.

20 Parallel cases: the same print was published in Alekseiev's diary.

21 The same scene, but in a different style, is in ALEKSEIEV 1966: p.36.(no.22.). 4. MAGIC PICTURE FORETELLING LONG LIFE (THE FEAST OF PEACHES) Inventory no.: 89.35.1 Size: 61 x 110 cm Title: Reunion in Honour of the Peaches of Immortality (or: the Feast of the Western Royal Mother) on the third day of the third month (San yiieh san p'an t'ao fu hui) Signature: Yi hsing ho hua tien

22 Technique: block-print with black

23 and green colours, hand-coloured with yellow, pink, orange, red, pale blue and dark blue, three kinds of green, white colours and Chinese ink. Condition: Its thin, yellowish paper is crumpled, and has holes and britlled margins; the red has turned brownish; the white has darkened, especially on the faces. Subject: From a slightly rippling lake a terrace emerges on the right with marble steps, surrounded by a rail. The Western Royal Mother (Hsi-wang-mu) sits in the middle, behind her is a screen and a flag with a dragon, beside her a lady-in-waiting; on the right is a small table with a huge bowl filled with peaches. Before the lady is a bald old man (Shou-hsing, the Star God of Long Life) with a long beard and a protruding forehead, and with a magic peach in his hands. In the foreground two ladies punt on a huge lotus-leaf as on a boat; before them is a heap of peaches. Beside the peaches is a flask containing elixir, a basket, a vase with flowers and a white monkey holding a peach in its paw. Behind these another dame punts standing on a banana leaf, with a basket of peaches and a vase of flowers. In the middle of the background a fourth lady descends standing on a cloud and carrying a basket of peaches. To her left, hills with a fir and a willow, the roof of a house and the upper part of a pavilion are visible, their lower part being hidden by a cloud hardly distinguishable from the surface of the water. In the foreground are rocks on both