Plum Blossoms 墨梅圖

Object Details

• Artist

  Yansou 巖叟

• Label

  Though the trees often live for more than a hundred years, delicate plum blossoms only bloom in the late winter for a short time, thus experiencing a brief moment of perfection before they die. The understated elegance of the blossoms and their ability to thrive in the cold symbolize the uncompromised integrity of the recluse scholars. A comparison of this detailed depiction of plum blossoms and Zou Fulei's more spontaneous handscroll in the center case offers a study of contrasts. This painting by the artist known only as Yansou ("Old Man of the Cliffs") is the earliest known extant example of the "reverse saturation method," in which layers of color or ink blots are built up and then outlined to form the blossoms-a style that requires deliberate execution.

  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

  1931

  Fukushima Company, New York 1931 [1]

  From 1931

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Fukushima Company, New York in 1931 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Object file, undated folder sheet note.

  [2] See note 1. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Beyond Brushwork: Symbolism in Chinese Painting (April 29 to November 26, 2006)

  A Breath of Spring (May 17, 1999 to January 9, 2000)

  Chinese Flower Paintings (March 18 to September 22, 1983)

  Chinese Calligraphy (April 18, 1977 to September 13, 1977)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Centennial Exhibition, North Corridor (February 25, 1956 to November 20, 1969)

  Centennial Exhibition, Gallery 19 (February 25, 1956 to February 4, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting, Gallery 1, 1955 (April 11, 1955 to December 12, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting, Gallery 14, 1955 (November 17, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 1947 (January 7, 1947 to April 11, 1955)

  Chinese Painting and Pottery (May 2, 1923 to March 22, 1943)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Fukushima Company

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1200s, 1300s

• Name

  Fukushima Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Trees, Art, Chinese Art, Southern Song dynasty (1127 - 1279), Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368), Flowers, Plum blossom

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings