Accession Number
1975/1.73

Title
Cloudy Mountains and Misty Trees, after Dong Yuan

Artist(s)
Zha Shibiao (Cha Shih-piao)

Object Creation Date
2nd half of 17th century

Medium & Support
hanging scroll, ink and color on paper

Dimensions
74 7/16 in x 19 15/16 in (189.07 cm x 50.64 cm)

Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

Label copy
Inscription: “Cloudy mountains, misty trees. Shihbiao in the style of Dong Yuan"
Two seals of the artist
Five collectors’ seals
Zha Shibiao was born into a wealthy merchant family in Anhui province. After the Manchus invaded China in 1644, he moved to Yangzhou in order to take care of family affairs and also to enjoy a more cosmopolitan atmosphere. His work, usually sparse in composition, features spontaneous brushwork and abstract forms immersed in wet wash. This painting depicts a river with distant mountains in the background surrounded by white clouds. While the composition is simple, it depicts an immense area. The long hemp texture on the rocks in this painting corresponds with Zha’s claim in his inscription that he executed this work in the style of Dong Yuan (?–962), the great master of the Five Dynasties period (907–960) known for this particular type of brushwork.
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Zha Shibiao was born into a wealthy merchant family in Anhui province. After the Manchus invaded China in 1644, he moved to Yangzhou both to take care of family affairs and to enjoy a more cosmopolitan atmosphere. His usually spare compositions are characterized by spontaneous brushwork and abstract forms created using wet washes. This painting depicts a river and distant mountains surrounded by white clouds. Though the composition is simple, it represents an immense area. The texture strokes on the rocks are in the style of the Five Dynasties period (907–60) artist Dong Yuan (active 930s–60s); Zha’s inscription notes that he executed this work in the great master’s style, an act of homage typical among literati painters.
Gallery Rotation, Spring 2011
Gallery Rotation Spring/Summer 2011
Zha Shibiao
China, 1615–1698
Cloudy Mountains and Misty Trees
Qing Period (1644–1912)
Second half of the 17th century
Handscroll, ink and color on paper
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund, 1975/1.73
Zha Shibiao was born into a wealthy merchant family in Anhui province. After the Manchus invaded China in 1644, he moved to Yangzhou both to take care of family affairs and to enjoy a more cosmopolitan atmosphere. His usually spare compositions are characterized by spontaneous brushwork and abstract forms created using wet washes. This painting depicts a river and distant mountains surrounded by white clouds. Though the composition is simple, it represents an immense area. The texture strokes on the rocks are in the style of the Five Dynasties period (907–60) artist Dong Yuan (active 930s–60s); Zha’s inscription notes that he executed this work in the great master’s style, an act of homage typical among literati painters.

Physical Description
This vertical composition consists of tall, thin trees in the foreground, with a lone boatman floating beneath and behind them. As the scene stretches upwars, mountains take up a dominant position in the picture, stretching toward the sky. Above them is calligraphic text.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
hanging scroll

Additional Object Classification(s)
Painting

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
calligraphy (process)
hanging scrolls
ink
landscapes (environments)
mountains
trees