The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 20, 2024

Chrysanthemums and Cabbage

Chrysanthemums and Cabbage

c. 1486 or before
(Chinese, active c. 1471–after 1502)
China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
handscroll, ink and slight color on paper
Overall: 28.6 x 253.7 cm (11 1/4 x 99 7/8 in.)
Anonymous Gift 1960.40
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Eminent calligrapher Wang Wenzhi 王文治 was only 27 sui when he wrote the title in 1756.

Description

On an autumn day in Beijing, Tao Cheng had a gathering with a group of scholar-officials and created two paintings in a spontaneous, casual style. The first depicts chrysanthemums, slender bamboo stalks, and a rock in monochrome ink. Tao applied light colors for the second painting that depicts cabbage. Tao deliberately placed the images on the first sections of the paper so that his honorable guests could add their poetic inscriptions inspired by his imagery.

In the first section to the right, all seven poetic inscriptions refer to the beloved poet and recluse Tao Qian (also called Tao Yuanming, AD 365–427) who was particularly known for his profound love for chrysanthemum flowers. Most of the inscriptions in the second section express sympathy for the poor, since cabbage is the main ingredient in their humble food. Taken together, the poems and paintings allude to the life and responsibilities of the scholar-official: the importance of both an upright character and a concern for the poor citizens in order to achieve good government.
  • Zhang Heng 張珩 [1915–1963]
    Xu Bangda 徐邦達 [1911–2012]
    (Walter Hochstadter [1914–2007], New York, NY)
    Severance A. [1895-1985] and Greta Millikin [1903-1989], Cleveland, OH
    ?-1960
    Mr. and Mrs. Courtney Burton, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1960-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Jiao yu bu di er ci quan guo mei shu zhan lan hui zhuan ji [敎育部第二次全國美術展覽會專集 = A special collection of the second National Exhibition of Chinese Art under the auspices of the Ministry of Education]. Nanjing: Shang wu yin shu guan, 1937. cat. no. 133
    Sirén, Osvald. Chinese Painting: Leading Masters and Principles. New York: Ronald Press, 1956. Mentioned: IV, 221; VII, Lists, 241
    Goepper, Roger. 1000 Jahre chinesische Malerei. München: Haus der Kunst, 1959. cat. no. 43
    Cleveland Museum of Art, “Recent Acquisition Press Release,” October 4, 1960, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. archive.org
    Chinese Art: An Exhibition of Paintings, Jades, Bronzes and Ceramics: Being a Contribution Made by Smith College Museum of Art to the College Interim Session, 1962. Northampton, MA: [The Museum], 1962. cat. no. 19
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 263 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 263 archive.org
    Suzuki, Kei 鈴木敬. Chūgoku bijutsu 中國美術. Tōkyō: Kōdansha, 1972. Reproduced: II, pt. 2, 248, pl. 75
    Lee, Sherman Emery, and James Robinson. The Colors of Ink: Chinese Paintings and Related Ceramics from the Cleveland Museum of Art. New York: Asia Society; distributed by New York Graphic Society, 1974. cat. no. 29
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 349 archive.org
    Chou, Ju-hsi and Anita Chung. Silent poetry: Chinese paintings from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2015. Reproduced: pp. 237-241
  • Chinese Gallery 240a Rotation – August 2016. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 1, 2016-February 6, 2017).
    Asian Autumn: Masterpieces from the Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 17, 1991-January 5, 1992).
    Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (November 7, 1980-January 4, 1981); The Cleveland Museum of Art (February 10-March 29, 1981); Tokyo National Museum (October 4-November 17, 1982).
    The Colors of Ink. Asia House Galleries (January 10-March 3, 1974); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 9-May 12, 1974).
    Chinese Art. Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA (organizer) (January 8-26, 1962).
    Year in Review - Nineteen Hundred Sixty. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 30, 1960-January 1, 1961).
    Chinese Paintings. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (July 19-August 7, 1960).
    1000 Jahre Chinesische Malerei. Haus der Kunst, Munich, Mùnich, Germany (organizer) (October 16-December 13, 1959).
    Chiao-yü-pu. [Jiao yu bu di er ci quan guo mei shu zhan lan hui zhuan ji 敎育部第二次全國美術展覽會專集 = A special collection of the second National Exhibition of Chinese Art under the auspices of the Ministry of Education]. Nanking Art Gallery, Nanjing, China (April 1-23, 1937).
  • {{cite web|title=Chrysanthemums and Cabbage|url=false|author=Tao Cheng|year=c. 1486 or before|access-date=20 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1960.40