The Cassia Grove Studio
Wen Zhengming painted The Cassia Grove Studio to celebrate the success of a fellow scholar, Zheng Zichong, at passing the civil-service examination. "Plucking the cassia" was a metaphor for such success. A fall flower, the cassia was usually associated with the provincial examinations, traditionally held in the autumn. The red vine leaves identify this as an autumnal scene.
The painting presents Zheng Zichong in his garden. Half hidden by the wall of his studio, he appears in rapt contemplation of the scenery. The rustic structures and fence indicate the simple but elegant taste of the Ming scholar; a cabinet full of scrolls visible through the window shows his appreciation of the arts. As both a depiction of a garden studio and a portrait of its owner, Wen's gemlike painting portrays the pleasures of a scholarly life devoted to the arts and to the pursuit of learning.
The painting presents Zheng Zichong in his garden. Half hidden by the wall of his studio, he appears in rapt contemplation of the scenery. The rustic structures and fence indicate the simple but elegant taste of the Ming scholar; a cabinet full of scrolls visible through the window shows his appreciation of the arts. As both a depiction of a garden studio and a portrait of its owner, Wen's gemlike painting portrays the pleasures of a scholarly life devoted to the arts and to the pursuit of learning.
Artwork Details
- 明 文徵明 叢桂齋圖 卷
- Title: The Cassia Grove Studio
- Artist: Wen Zhengming (Chinese, 1470–1559)
- Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
- Date: ca. 1532
- Culture: China
- Medium: Handscroll; ink and color on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 12 7/16 x 22 1/8 in. (31.6 x 56.2 cm)
Overall with mounting: 14 x 322 11/16 in. (35.6 x 819.6 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1989
- Object Number: 1989.303
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Wen Zhengming
dated 1543
Wen Zhengming
datable to 1506–10
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Wen Zhengming
mid-16th century
Wen Zhengming
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