The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Pipa (Loquats)

Pipa (Loquats)

c. 1888–89
(Chinese, 1823–1896)
Painting: 112.6 x 52.2 cm (44 5/16 x 20 9/16 in.); Overall (no knobs): 231 x 70.5 cm (90 15/16 x 27 3/4 in.)
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Xugu inscribed his painting on the right, dedicating it to a Mr. Youshan. Two additional inscriptions by other writers were added later, each time the painting changed owners.

Description

The loquat is a plant native to China that produces a juicy, yellow fruit in early summer. The artist may have intentionally extended the branches beyond the paper to emphasize the abundance of fruit. Xugu’s subjects of flowers, goldfish, and loquats express wishes for abundance and wealth, and must have appealed to his patrons.

Xugu gave up his career as a military official during the Taiping rebellion (1850–64) and became an itinerant monk who painted for a living. He spent the later years of his life in Shanghai and his fame as an artist is associated with that city.
  • c. 1888-89–?
    Youshan 友山 [late 19th century], given to Yuting
    Yuting 雨亭 [late 19th century]
    Zhang Songzhou 張頌周 [b. 1873], by descent to Zhang Bihan
    ?–1995
    Zhang Bihan (Chang Pi-han) 張碧寒 [1909–1995], Piedmont, CA
    ?–1999
    (Kaikodo America, Inc., New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1999–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • "In the Company of Spirits." Kaikodo Journal, XI (Spring 1999): pp. 128-29, 272-273. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 30
    Chung, Anita. "The Life, Art, and Travels of Xugu (1823-1896)." Kaikodo Journal, XI (Spring 1999): pp. 44-51.
    Cleveland Museum of Art, “Major Benin Bronze Plaque, Rembrandt Print, Other Works of Art Enter CMA Collection,” March 12, 1999, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. archive.org
    Chou, Ju-hsi and Anita Chung. Silent poetry: Chinese paintings from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2015. Mentioned and Reproduced: pp. 470-472
  • When Salt was Gold: Yangzhou, City of Riches and Art (Chinese art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (May 12-November 5, 2023).
    Power and Possession: Chinese Calligraphy and Inscribed Objects – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 13, 2018-February 3, 2019).
    Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 119). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (March 16-July 13, 2004).
  • {{cite web|title=Pipa (Loquats)|url=false|author=Xugu|year=c. 1888–89|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1999.6