Spring Rain Thatched Hut

春雨草堂圖

1650

Wang Jianzhang 王建章

(Chinese, active 1621–1662)

Culture

China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

Medium

handscroll, ink on paper

Measurements

Image: 31 x 81.5 cm (12 3/16 x 32 1/16 in.); Overall: 34.2 x 1164 cm (13 7/16 x 458 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund 2008.108

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

Gong Weiliu, the owner of the estate portrayed here, had received his prestigious jinshi degree in 1643, but his official career was thwarted by the collapse of the Ming dynasty the following year.

Description

With its striking simplicity, this painting captures the pure serenity of a private garden in the moist atmosphere of a spring morning on a small river. Painted in the style of Ni Zan, Wang Jianzhang dedicated this work to his patron-friend Gong Weiliu (1611-1680). Gong retired from government service after the fall of the Ming dynasty and constructed a garden-retreat at his native home in Taizhou, Jiangsu province. He invited scholars and poets from his literary society to contribute writings of his estate, which are here mounted together with the painting in this scroll.