Khan of Bada Shan Presenting Tribute - Jean Damascene Sallusti

A detailed copperplate engraving by Jean Damascene Sallusti depicting the diplomatic submission of the Khan of Badakhshan to the Qing Emperor.

This copperplate engraving belongs to a series commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor to document the military campaigns in the Western Regions. Jean Damascene Sallusti, an Italian Jesuit missionary and artist active at the Qing court, collaborated on these works to merge European perspective techniques with Chinese subject matter. The print depicts the formal submission of the Khan of Badakhshan, a significant diplomatic event within the broader context of the Qing expansion.

The composition employs a high vantage point, allowing for a panoramic view of the encampment. The central circular arrangement of tents creates a clear focus, while the surrounding terrain is rendered with precise, fine lines typical of eighteenth-century European engraving techniques. The inclusion of Chinese calligraphy at the top provides historical context and imperial commentary, integrating the visual narrative with the literary traditions of the court. The work demonstrates the technical exchange between the Jesuit artists and their Chinese counterparts, who were tasked with producing these large-scale prints in Paris.

Every element, from the individual figures on horseback to the texture of the rocky outcrops, is executed with meticulous attention to detail. The scene captures a moment of political theatre, where the scale of the encampment and the orderly arrangement of the participants communicate the authority of the Qing state. This print is a record of both military history and the unique cross-cultural artistic production that occurred under the patronage of the Qianlong Emperor. It remains a primary source for understanding the aesthetic and political priorities of the period.