The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 28, 2022

Three Perils Mountain

三危山圖

1941

Zhang Daqian 張大千

(Chinese, 1899-1983)

China

Hanging scroll, ink and light color on paper

Painting: 96.5 x 33 cm (38 x 13 in.); Overall with knobs: 212 x 59 cm (83 7/16 x 23 1/4 in.)

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 2007.197

Location

241C Chinese Buddhist Sculptures

Fun Fact

On the far shore, three scholars and their attendant approach a Buddhist stupa relic mound.

Description

In 1941, Zhang Daqian went to northwestern China to expand his understanding of Chinese art history by studying the rich tradition of religious wall painting. He surveyed the Buddhist cave paintings at Dunhuang and made more than 200 high-quality facsimiles in less than three years.

As a break from the facsimile work in the dark caves, Zhang lifted his eyes to the Three Perils Mountain (三危山) in the distance.

Inscriptions

Inscription

Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist

Inscription Translation

張爰私印

Inscription Translation

In his "Commentary to [the Classic of History]," Kong Anguo [2nd century BC] [writes], "Sanwei [Three Perils] is a mountain on the western marches; [the Emperor] Shun 'drove the Sanmiao [tribes] into Three Perils [district].'" It is the [place to which the] "Yugong" [chapter of the "Classic of History" refers]: "The Three Perils [district] was made habitable." In the "Treatise [on Geography" in the] History of the Sui Dynasty, there is a Three Perils Mountain under the entry for Dunhuang county. Nowadays, it is commonly called Shengyu Mountain, and is located thirty li southeast of the town [of Dunhuang]. It has three peaks which stick up vertically and seem to be in imminent peril of falling; thus the name. The sixth lunar month of the xinsi year; escaping the summer heat [I have come to] the Mogao Caves, where I face the Three Perils every day and night, so I've painted this. Yuan.

Inscription Remark

Zhang Daqian's inscription shows that he studied the history of the Mogao Caves and the Dunhuang area. The importance of the Three Perils Mountain in ancient history compelled him to paint its vivid form.

Provenance
by 1991–?
Wang Fangyu 王方宇 [1913–1997] and Sum Wai 沈慧 [1918–1996], Short Hills, NJ
May 31, 1994
(Sotheby's New York, May 31, 1994, lot 168)
?–2007
Chunfang Tang Collection 淳風堂藏
November 26, 2007
(Christie's, Hong Kong, November 26, 2007, lot 1220, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
2007–
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Citations
Nagin, Carl. An Exhibition of Chinese Paintings by Chang Dai-Chien, 1899-1983: May 19-June 30, 1984. New York, NY: Frank Caro Gallery, 1984. Reproduced: pl. 12
Fu, Shen C. Y. and Jan Stuart. Challenging the Past: The Paintings of Chang Dai-Chien. Washington, D.C.: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1991. Reproduced: pp. 136-137
Sotheby's New York. Chinese Paintings: Sale 6570. May 31, 1994. Reproduced: lot 168
Christie's Hong Kong. Fine Chinese modern paintings. November 26, 2007. Lot 1220. Reproduced: p. 229
Christie's Hong Kong. Fine Chinese modern paintings. November 26, 2007. Lot 1220 Mentioned: pp. 220-221, 229
“Art of Asia Acquired by North American Museums, 2006-2008.” Archives of Asian Art, vol. 59, 2009, pp. 135–180. Reproduced: fig. 8, p. 143 www.jstor.org
Chung, Anita. "Re-emergence: New Chinese Galleries and Art Acquisitions of The Cleveland Museum of Art." Orientations vol 44 no. 8 (November/December 2013): 64-75. Reproduced: p. 70, fig. 6
Exhibition history

An Exhibition of Chinese Paintings by Chang Dai-Chien. Frank Caro Gallery, New York, NY (May 19-June 30, 1984).

Challenging the Past: The Paintings of Chang Dai-chien. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC (November 24, 1991-April 5, 1992); The Asia Society, New York, NY (April 29-July 19, 1992); Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO (August 28-October 25, 1992).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2007.197