Woodblock matrix representing the Taoist divinity Yu Huangdi, the great Ruler of Heaven: the jade emperor.
Woodcut was practiced in Europe only in the fourteenth century, while in China it was known from the seventh century. It is not improbable that it was the seals that prompted the idea of carving wooden clichés. Under the Han instead, the characters were engraved backwards so that they were reproduced in the normal sense of reading. The font, however, was white on a red background. Around the year 500 the characters were not engraved but executed in relief so that when reproduced they appeared red on white... The wood used to make the clichés was from trees such as jujube and pear: therefore very hard woods which allowed a finer reproduction of details.
In the Museum in 1901-1947.
