Pavilion of Rising Clouds 雲起樓圖

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    mid-13th to mid-14th century
  • Geography

    China
  • Material

    Ink on silk
  • Dimension

    H x W (image): 150 x 78.8 cm (59 1/16 x 31 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1908.171
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1908.171

Object Details

  • Artist

    Traditionally attributed to Mi Fu (傳)米芾 (1052-1107)
  • Label

    This unsigned scroll was traditionally attributed to the Northern Song dynasty artist Mi Fu. While no longer accepted as a genuine work by his hand, it remains the earliest of the extant large paintings done in the widely imitated style associated with his name. In the Mi style, landscape forms are defined by a distinctive use of layered washes and precisely applied horizontal dots, instead of the usual outlines and texture strokes, to create a subtle illusion of varying depths and densities.
    The short quotation from Confucius inscribed at the top of the painting was ostensibly written by Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty (reigned 1100-25), in whose court Mi Fu once served: "[Before] heaven sends down the seasonal rains, mountains and rivers put forth clouds." The passage metaphorically defines the relationship between the benevolent rule of a sage king and the prior appearance of wise ministers to advise him. The quotation therefore adds a philosophical dimension to the work and was aptly selected both to describe the misty landscape of the painting and to laud Mi Fu as a valued servant of the throne.
    The painting was also greatly admired by an illustrious previous owner, the Ming dynasty painter, calligrapher and art historian Dong Qichang (1555-1636), who provided a title calligraphy at the top and colophons on either side.
    To learn more about this and similar objects, visit http://www.asia.si.edu/SongYuan/default.asp Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy.
  • Provenance

    To 1908
    Isaac Taylor Headland (1859-1942), Beijing, China, and Alliance, OH, to 1908 [1]
    From 1908 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Isaac Taylor Headland in 1908 [2]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 611, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. This object exhibits seals, colophons, or inscriptions that could provide additional information regarding the object’s history; see Curatorial Remarks in the object record for further details.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Setting the Bar: Arts of the Song dynasty (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
    Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Song Legacy (May 17 to October 26, 2014)
    Guests of the Hills: Travelers in Chinese Landscape Painting (August 23, 2008 to March 15, 2009)
    In the Mountains (January 31 to August 2, 1998)
    Masterpieces of Chinese Painting (II) (May 9, 1993 to May 31, 1994)
    Masterpieces of Chinese Painting (I) (August 3, 1984 to February 7, 1985)
    Studies in Connoisseurship 1923-1983 (September 23, 1983 to March 1, 1984)
    Chinese Landscape Painting (November 15, 1980 to March 6, 1981)
    Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)
    Chinese Paintings (June 5, 1957 to January 1, 1963)
    Centennial Exhibition, Gallery 19 (February 25, 1956 to February 4, 1957)
    Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting, Gallery 14, 1955 (November 17, 1955 to February 25, 1956)
    Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Scrolls (July 19, 1943 to April 30, 1946)
    Ancient Chinese Paintings, Sculptures, and Jade Objects from the Collection formed by Charles Lang Freer (November 15 to December 08, 1917)
    Exhibition of Chinese paintings: part of the collection of Professor Isaac Taylor Headland, Ph. D., Peking University (March 13 to 19, 1909)
    Untitled Exhibition, Art Society of Pittsburgh, 1908 (1908)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Isaac Taylor Headland (1859-1942) (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    China
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Painting
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

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