Ink Tablet Decorated with Five Pines

late 19th–early 20th century

Not on view

High-quality ink cakes produced by Cheng Junfangand Fang Yulu are often decorated with designs that have literary allusions. The motif of five pines on this ink cake is derived from the story of the first emperor's trop to Tai Mountain, where he was caught in a storm. He took shelter under an ancient pine tree, on which he later conferred the official title Wutafu. A later misunderstanding of this title gave rise to the motif of five pine trees. The black stag motif on the square ink cake. Nearby alludes to the stag-tail dusters used by scholars and to their brilliant conversations.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Exhibition History

References

Title: Ink Tablet Decorated with Five Pines
Artist: Cheng Junfang (Chinese, 1541–ca. 1620)
Period: late Qing dynasty (1644–1911) or early Republic period (1912–49)
Date: late 19th–early 20th century
Culture: China
Medium: Ink
Dimensions: Diam. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm)
Classification: Ink
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1930
Object Number: 30.76.203
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

By Cheng Junfang

In the same medium

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Ink Tablet with Two Phoenixes Design, Cheng Junfang Chinese, Ink, China — Ink Tablet with Two Phoenixes Design
Cheng Junfang
late 19th–early 20th century

Ink Tablet with Thousand-Year Fungus Motif, Cheng Junfang Chinese, Pine soot and binding medium, China — Ink Tablet with Thousand-Year Fungus Motif
Cheng Junfang
late 19th–early 20th century

Sadaksari-Lokeshvara Surrounded by Manifestations and Monks, Distemper, gold and ink on cloth, Tibet — Sadaksari-Lokeshvara Surrounded by Manifestations and Monks
Tibet
late 15th century

Ink Tablet with Black Stag Motif, Fang Yulu Chinese, Black ink, China — Ink Tablet with Black Stag Motif
Fang Yulu
late 19th–early 20th century

Streams and Mountains without End, Wang Yuanqi Chinese, Handscroll; ink on paper, China — Streams and Mountains without End
Wang Yuanqi
ca. 1710

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