Calligraphy couplet in Seal Script

Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
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Period
early 20th century -
Geography
China -
Material
Pair of hanging scrolls; ink on paper -
Dimension
H x W: 200.9 x 34.2 cm (79 1/8 x 13 7/16 in) -
Accession Number
F1997.71.1-2 -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_F1997.71.1-2
Object Details
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Artist
Zhang Sirui (active early 20th century) -
Label
Have Xie Yuan teach literature, Lei Cizong teachConfucianism, and He Shangzhi teach metaphysics;Listen to Liu Xian lecture on ritual propriety,Gu Ce lecture on the Book of Changes, and ZhuGuangzhi lecture on Daoism.Translation by Stephen D. AlleeZhang Sirui constructed this couplet from two different passages in the official History of the Southern Dynasties, which covers the period from 420 to 589. He adapted the text on the right scroll from passages in the Annals of the Liu-Song Dynasty concerning imperially sponsored schools under Emperor Wen (reigned 424-453 C.E.), and directly quoted the text on the left scroll from a passage that recounts the educational pastimes of Xiao Ying, Prince of Linchuan (458-489 c.e.). Each of the six men named in the couplet was a leading figure in his respective discipline.Using a powerful, squarish form of ancient seal script, the calligrapher Zhang Sirui successfully achieved an illusion of vertical mass and solidity that resembles two intricately carved columns. He then created a kind of pedestal at the bottom of each column by using a strongly contrasting form of standard script to record the source of the quotations (right scroll) and his signature (left scroll). -
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection -
Exhibition History
Year of the Horse: Chinese Horse Paintings (February 24 to September 2, 2002)Three Friends of Winter: Pine, Bamboo, and Plum in Chinese Painting (August 12, 2001 to February 3, 2002) -
Origin
China -
Credit Line
Gift of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Freer Gallery of Art -
Type
Calligraphy -
Restrictions and Rights
Usage Conditions Apply
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