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Chu Hsin (later 18th century) 諸炘

‘Feeding Cranes, after Hua Yen’

Fan, ink and color on paper
17 x 51 cm. (6 3/4 x 20 in.)

Inscription:
‘We set out food for the cranes before the gate of the quiet house, pine cones are like the rain, beating against the window screen.
I followed the ideas of Chieh-t’ao-kuan (Hua Yen, 1682-1756) and did this for the judgement of elder brother Master Lan-ku. Chu Hsin, called Ch’uan-t’ang.’

Artist’s seal:
Hsin yin

Published:
To-yun-hsuan Ts’ang-p’in Ti-liu Chi, Shanghai, 2005 p. 349.

A man clad in scholar’s garb stands in a courtyard in front of a house framed by pines to the right and left. One hand is raised as if admonishing the two servant boys before him who are engaged in feeding a pair of cranes. The composition is designed so as to provide a backdrop for the main scene, which is organized to place primary emphasis on the interactions of figures and birds, creating a simple but highly effective work of art.

Chu Hsin, tzu Ch’un-yen, was from Ch’ien-t’ang, the modern city of Hangchou. Coming from a poor family, Chu gave up hopes of an official career and became a professional artist. He excelled in painting figures, flowers, and birds. His period of activity is not recorded but, since he worked after Hua Yen (1682-1756), he most likely was active during the second half of the 18th century.

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