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Letters to Fang Shiguan

datable to ca. 1688–1705
Not on view
The tradition of collecting personal letters dates back nearly two millennia in China. It was believed that the intimate space of the letter encouraged a sense of freedom and openness in calligraphers, and the resulting calligraphy was often treasured as a true expression of the artist’s spirit. This album is a collection of letters written by the great painter and calligrapher Zhu Da to his close friend Fang Shiguan (1650–ca. 1711). Fang must have saved them as treasured traces of a friend and gifted artist. At some point, they were mounted together as an album. The letters concern four areas of Zhu’s life: his health; meetings with Fang; exchanges of favors and small gifts; and painting, including both the viewing of other artists’ works and the selling of his own.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 明/清 朱耷（八大山人） 致方士琯書 冊 紙本
  • Title: Letters to Fang Shiguan
  • Artist: Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) (Chinese, 1626–1705)
  • Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
  • Date: datable to ca. 1688–1705
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Album of ten leaves; ink on patterned and plain paper
  • Dimensions: Image (leaf a, right letter): 7 3/4 x 5 7/16 in. (19.7 x 13.8 cm)
    Image (leaf a, left letter): 7 1/4 x 4 9/16 in. (18.4 x 11.6 cm)
    Image (leaf b, right letter): 7 1/2 x 5 3/16 in. (19.1 x 13.2 cm)
    Image (leaf b, left letter): 7 x 4 9/16 in. (17.8 x 11.6 cm)
    Image (leaf c, right letter): 7 1/2 x 5 3/16 in. (19.1 x 13.2 cm)
    Image (leaf c, left letter): 7 1/4 x 4 9/16 in. (18.4 x 11.6 cm)
    Image (leaf d, right letter): 7 1/2 x 5 3/16 in. (19.1 x 13.2 cm)
    Image (leaf d, left letter): 7 1/4 x 4 9/16 in. (18.4 x 11.6 cm)
    Image (leaf e, right letter): 7 5/8 x 5 3/16 in. (19.4 x 13.2 cm)
    Image (leaf e, left letter): 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 in. (18.4 x 12.1 cm)
  • Classification: Calligraphy
  • Credit Line: Gift of John M. Crawford Jr., 1982
  • Object Number: 1982.458a–e
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Letter by Li Zhi, Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Chinese, Folding fan mounted as an album leaf; ink on paper, China
Letter by Li Zhi
Bada Shanren (Zhu Da)
dated 1702
After Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering Collection", Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Chinese, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, China
After Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering Collection"
Bada Shanren (Zhu Da)
ca. 1694–96
Album of miscellaneous paintings, Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Chinese, Album of twelve paintings; ink wash on paper, China
Album of miscellaneous paintings
Bada Shanren (Zhu Da)
Fish, Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Chinese, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, China
Returned to lender
Fish
Bada Shanren (Zhu Da)
17th century
Landscape, Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) Chinese, Album of twelve leaves; ink and color on paper, China
Returned to lender
Landscape
Bada Shanren (Zhu Da)
datable to 1698

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