Flowers and Calligraphy 玉簪花圖並草書節錄姜夔《續書譜》 (冊頁兩開裱軸)

Object Details

• Artist

  Bada Shanren 八大山人 (朱耷) (1626-1705)

• Label

  This hanging scroll is comprised of two album leaves mounted one above the other. The subject of the painting (jade hairpin flowers) and the text of the calligraphy have no particular thematic connection; however, such incongruities are common in Bada Shanren's works. The only clear relationship between the two leaves is the complementary style of brushwork in which both the painting and the calligraphy were executed.

  Prior to opening, the tubular white blossoms of the jade hairpin flower resemble the ornaments worn as hairpins by palace ladies, from which the flower's Chinese name derives. Blooming in the fall, this common garden plant was primarily cultivated for its broad, attractive leaves and sweet-smelling flowers. Traditionally, the jade hairpin seldom served as the primary focus of paintings, though Bada chose to explore the subject on more than one occasion. In keeping with the autumn season, the painting also shows a bunch of chrysanthemums in the upper-right corner.

  Bada Shanren's quotation on the calligraphy leaf comes from the opening passage to the chapter "Copying" in the Xu shupu (Sequel to the treatise on calligraphy) by the Southern Song-dynasty calligrapher and poet Jiang Kui (ca. 1155-ca. 1235), who discussed the importance of copying the works of earlier masters in the process of learning calligraphy.

• Provenance

  To 1997

  Wang Fangyu (1913-1997) and Sum Wai (1918-1996), to 1997 [1]

  To 1998

  Shao F. Wang, New York and Short Hills, NJ, by descent, to 1998 [2]

  From 1998

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Shao F. Wang in 1998

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Note 2, Joseph Chang and Stephen D. Allee, May 7, 1998, and Joseph Chang and Stephen D. Allee, August 18, 1998, in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Enigmas: The Art of Bada Shanren (1626-1705) (June 20, 2015 to January 3, 2016)

  In Pursuit of Heavenly Harmony: Paintings and Calligraphy by Bada Shanren (1626-1705) from the Bequest of Wang Fangyu and Sum Wai (April 26 to October 13, 2003)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Wang Fangyu (1913-1997)

  Sum Wai (1918-1996)

  Shao F. Wang

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Bequest from the collection of Wang Fangyu and Sum Wai, donated in their memory by Mr. Shao F. Wang

• 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

  1700s

• Name

  Wang, Fangyu, Wai, Sum, Wang, Shao F.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Chrysanthemum, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Shao F. Wang collection, Flowers

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings