Battle at A'erchu'er - Jean Damascene Sallusti

A detailed copperplate engraving depicting the Battle at A'erchu'er, created by Italian Jesuit missionary Jean Damascene Sallusti for the Qing court.

This copperplate engraving depicts the Battle at A'erchu'er, a significant military engagement during the Qianlong Emperor's campaigns in the Western Regions. Jean Damascene Sallusti, an Italian Jesuit missionary stationed at the Qing court, collaborated with other European artists and Chinese craftsmen to produce this series. The project was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor to document the military successes of the Qing dynasty, blending European techniques of perspective and shading with traditional Chinese subject matter.

The composition is expansive, capturing the chaotic movement of cavalry, infantry, and pack animals across a rugged, mountainous terrain. The use of fine, precise lines allows for the depiction of numerous individual figures, each engaged in combat or tactical movement. The foreground features rocky outcrops that frame the action, while the middle ground opens into a wide valley where the primary conflict unfolds. In the distance, the mountains recede, providing a sense of scale and depth characteristic of the European influence on this series. The upper section of the print includes calligraphic inscriptions of imperial poems, which provide context for the event and reflect the emperor's personal involvement in the narrative of the campaign.

Technically, the work demonstrates the mastery of intaglio printing processes brought to Beijing by Jesuit artists. The tonal variations are achieved through dense hatching and cross-hatching, creating a sense of volume in the rock formations and the figures. This print is one of a larger set of sixteen plates, which were produced in Paris under the direction of the French royal court, reflecting the global exchange of artistic techniques and political propaganda during the eighteenth century. The work remains a primary visual record of the military history of the Qing empire.