Poem in cursive script

Object Details

• Artist

  Wang Wen (1497-1576)

• Provenance

  Collection of Norman Sparnon. [1]

  1988

  Wang Fangyu, Short Hills, New Jersey, purchased at auction, “Fine Chinese Paintings,” Sotheby’s, New York, June 1, 1988, lot no. 26, “Calligraphy in Cao Shu”. [2]

  From 1988

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Wang Fangyu, Short Hills, New Jersey. [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Undated folder sheet note 2, object file, Collections Management Office. See Sotheby’s New York auction catalog, “Fine Chinese Paintings”, Sale 5723, June 1, 1988, lot no. 26. At the time of Sotheby's sale, the scroll was part of the property from the Norman Sparnon Collection.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] Undated folder sheet note 1, object file, Collections Management Office. Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Masterpieces of Chinese Calligraphy (June 7, 1994 to March 20, 1995)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Norman Sparnon

  Wang Fangyu (1913-1997)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Calligraphy

• 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

  1530s, 1560s

• Name

  Wang, Fangyu, Sparnon, Norman

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Fans, Cursive script, Art, Chinese Art, Poetry, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Calligraphy (visual works)