Object Details
- Description
- The painting depicts two scholars conversing as the mist that blanketed the village overnight begins to lift. With a matching poem by Wen Zhenmeng.
- Label
- The matching poem by Wen Zhenmeng reads:
- 一帶青山入畫來，烟雲寂淨水光開，
- 千門盡掩紅塵隔，莫訝長安古道猜。
- A swath of verdant mountains comes right into the painting,
- Mist and clouds, still and clear, the water starts to glow.
- A thousand gates are tightly shut to keep the red dust out,
- None would ever guess this is the ancient road to Chang’an.
- The calligrapher, Wen Zhenmeng (1574–1636), was the great-grandson of Wen Zhengming (1470–1559) and grandson of Wen Peng (1498–1573). He owned a famous garden in Suzhou, passed the national examinations (jinshi) with first-place honors in 1622, and later rose to high office. In line four, Chang’an (literally: Everlasting Peace) is the name of an ancient imperial capital.
- Provenance
- To ?
- Wong Pao-hsi, Hong Kong. [1]
- 1976
- Sale, New York, Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Paintings by Ming and C’hing Masters from the Lok Tsai Hsien Collection, April 22, 1976, sale #3860, lot 59: “Landscape Scenes.” [2]
- To 1987
- Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York. [3]
- From 1987
- Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York. [4]
- Notes:
- [1] See object file. See also object file S1987.270.1.
- [2] See note 1.
- [3] See note 1.
- [4] See note 1.
- Collection
- Arthur M. Sackler Collection
- Exhibition History
- Painting with Words: Gentlemen Artists of the Ming Dynasty (April 16 to July 24, 2016)
- Poetic Landscapes: Two Chinese Albums (February 8 to July 15, 1998)
- The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)
- Traditional Chinese Painting and Calligraphy (May 18 to September 9, 1990)
- Pavilions and Immortal Mountains: Chinese Decorative Art and Paintings (September 28, 1987 to February 28, 1988)
- Previous custodian or owner
- Wong Pao-hsi
- Sotheby's
- Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)
- Data Source
- Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
- Artist
- Li Shida (active 1580-1621)
- Calligrapher
- Wen Zhenmeng (1574-1636)
- Date
- 1621
- Period
- Ming dynasty
- Credit Line
- Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
- Medium
- Ink and color on paper
- Dimensions
- H x W (image): 24 x 25.2 cm (9 7/16 x 9 15/16 in)
- Type
- Painting
