The Sword Spring, Tiger Hill, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou

Series Title: 虎丘十二景圖

The Sword Spring, Tiger Hill, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou

after 1490

Shen Zhou 沈周

(Chinese, 1427–1509)

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Culture

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Medium

Album leaf; ink on paper or ink and slight color on paper

Measurements

Image: 31.2 x 40.6 cm (12 5/16 x 16 in.); Overall: 36.5 x 49.9 cm (14 3/8 x 19 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1964.371.6

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Location

Not on view

Description

Views of Tiger Hill depicts a historic site a few miles northwest of Suzhou. The scenes simulate a visit from arriving by boat at the foot of the mountain to climbing to Cloudy Cliff Monastery. Representations of the artist’s mature style, Shen Zhou included views in subtle colors in the suite of monochrome scenes.

A Suzhou native, Shen Zhou was supported by family wealth and rejected an official career in favor of life as a retired scholar. Turning to painting in midlife, he is regarded as the founder of the Wu School of painting, with its center in Suzhou.