Window flowers: typical silhouettes for the Chinese New Year
MS 7423
Alfred Koehn was a German diplomat and amateur botanist who worked in Asia. He authored and published a number of illustrated books on Japan and China.
The collection consists of one (1) book by Alfred Koehn. The book is made up of cutouts, mostly from red paper, that have been mounted on the pages of the volume. The cutouts represent people, animals, birds, flowers, and other designs. These designs were mounted in homes to bring prosperity and good fortune for the coming year.
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
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NAA MS 7423
NAA INV 10000085
The collection was purchased in Beijing, China in 1948 by Ann Ford Doyle and donated to the National Anthropological Archives in 1984.
MS 7423
Previously titled "Window flowers: typical silhouettes for the Chinese New Year."