Poems

Calligrapher Wen Zhengming Chinese
1545
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
明 文徴明 行書自書詩 卷 紙本

The dean of the Suzhou cultural scene during the sixteenth century, Wen Zhengming was admired in equal measure for his painting and calligraphy. In calligraphy, his reserved personality found form in stable compositions and elegantly smooth brushwork that was accomplished but never showy. In this scroll, written in the prime of his career, he transcribed nearly twenty of his own poems in his celebrated semicursive script. While the subtly nuanced poems attest to his stature as a leader of the local literate elite, the calligraphy embodies the ideal union of virtuosity and grace.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 明 文徴明 行書自書詩 卷 紙本
  • Title: Poems
  • Calligrapher: Wen Zhengming (Chinese, 1470–1559)
  • Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
  • Date: 1545
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Handscroll; ink on paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 13 1/4 × 249 in. (33.7 × 632.5 cm)
    Overall with mounting: 14 1/4 × 330 in. (36.2 × 838.2 cm)
  • Classification: Calligraphy
  • Credit Line: Lent by Guanyuan Shanzhuang Collection
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art