River of Stars

Zhang Yuan [Chang Yuan] 張遠
(17th-18th century)

“Walking with Staff, after Huang Gongwang” 1722

倣黄公望山水

Handscroll, ink and color on paper
102.2 x 19.7 cm. (40 1/4 x 7 3/4 in.)

Inscription:
“’Walking with Staff in Autumn Groves.’ During the first ten days of summer in the year 1722, I modeled this after Yifeng Laoren (Huang Gongwang),,,”

Artists seals:
Zhang; Yuan

Collector’s seals:
Two, undeciphered

Yang Jin [Yang Chin] (1644-1728 ) 楊晋) 楊晉

“Tao Yuanming” 1715
陶淵明

Fan, ink and color on paper
17.5 x 54.0 cm. (6 7/8 x 21 1/4 in.)

Inscription:
“Picking chrysanthemums at the Eastern Fence, he gazes longingly at South Mountain.
Painted during new autumn of the year 1715 by Yang Jin, called Xiting.”

Artist’s seals:
Yang Jin; Jiashen (1644)

Published:
Jiajiezhai cang Ming Qing shanmian shuhuaji, Shanghai, 2009, p. 113.

Zhu Lunhan [Chu Lun-han] 朱論瀚
(1680-1760), attributed

“Luohan”
羅漢

Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper
146.2 x 68.1 cm. (57 1/2 x 26 7/8 in.)

Colophon by Xie Guansheng (late 18th-early 19th century):
“In this finger painting by master Hanzhai (Zhu Lunhan) he trusted his hand and daubed ink for the coarse robe and unkempt hair, creating an image that is surpassingly fine. The eye-brows and eyes are not accurate and the mouth and nose run together, making him appear like Momu (fourth wife of Emperor Huang who was ugly but very clever). However, the spirit and forms have a very distinct flavor, but his reasons are difficult to explain. In this painting by the master, dark and light are clear and extraordinary and are especially superb, and the flavor of the spirit goes beyond the fingers and ink, and thus it is a true image.
During the sixth lunar month, summer of the year 1810, Xie Guansheng from Nanhai got this on a boat in Piling.” Xie Shi shu-hua zang yin (“Collection seal of Master Xie for calligraphies and paintings”)

Xi Gang [Hsi Kang] (1746-1803) 奚岡

“Spring Rain on Apricot Blossoms”
春雨杏花図

Fan painting, ink and color on paper
16.5 x 54.5 cm. (6 1/2 x 21 1/2 in.)

Inscription:
“A little bit of spring mist, moist like a tavern flag,
the red of the apricot blossoms overwhelms the fence of bamboo;
Rain reaches everywhere, the river current is swift,
only the support hums of the knots, established when it was young.
A poem and painting by Tiesheng for the connoisseurship of master elder brother Youcun.”

Artist’s seal:
Xi Gang

Collectors’ seals:
Danzhong jingjian [Tan-chung ching-chien]; Ermao xinshang [Ermao hsin-shang]

Zhou Shangwen [Chou Shang-wen] (b.1716?-1789 or later) 周尚文

“Clearing Snow over Myriad Mountains” 1768

群山雪霽

Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk
159.4 x 50.8 cm. (62 3/4 x 20 in.)

Inscription:
‘Clearing Snow over Myriad Mountains.’ During the sixth lunar month, summer, of the year 1768, done in the manner of Youcheng (Wang Wei, 699-759) by Zhou Shangwen, called Shiming.”

Artist’s seals:
Zhou Shangwen yin; Sujian; Muchu; Shihu shan-?

Published:
Shenzhou guoguang ji, Shanghai, 1908-12, vol. XIV

Wen Ding [Wen Ting] 文鼎
(1766-1852)

“Cold Peaks on Jade Mountain” 1846
凍頂玉山図

Fan painting, ink and color on gold-sprinkled paper
18.5 x 53.5 cm. (7 1/4 x 21 in.)

Inscription:
“Blue-green water from afar, descending a thousand valleys, the jade mountain is high and the two peaks are cold.
On a winter day of the year 1846, painted for the refined attention of my elder brother, Master I-men, by Wen Ding [Wen Ting], called Hou-shan, at the age of eighty.”

Artist’s seal:
Wen Ding [Wen Ting]

Qin Bingwen [Ch’in Ping-wen] 秦柄文
(1803-73)

“Landscape after Wang Meng”
倣王蒙山水

Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper
105.0 x 40.0 cm. (41 1/4 x 15 3/4 in.)

Inscription:
“Done in emulation of the surviving ideas of Huang-hao Shan-ch’iao (Wang Meng). Shu-ming (Wang Meng) and Yuan-chen (Ni Tsan) were friends. Shu-ming’s destiny avoided the sparseness of Yan-chen, but when complete, the brush and inkwork of Yuan-chen’s sparse fields and by-ways were extremely dense, while the brush and inkwork of Shu-ming’s dense fields and by-ways were very sparse. The two masters were still different while yet being the same. But those who haven’t gone to the Yueh-yang Pavilion, and personally seen immortal Lu playing his flute, should rein in and stop, cover and (put out) the lamp, for (otherwise) within mistakes there will be mistakes.
Painted and inscribed by Ch’in Ping-wen, called I-t’ing.”

Painted and inscribed by Ch’in Ping-wen, called I-t’ing.”

Chen Ziqing [Ch’en Tzu ch’ing] 陳子清
(1811-1889)

“Mountains in Rain” 1868
雨山図

Hanging scroll, ink and color on gold-speckled paper
127.0 x 51.5 cm. (50 1/2 x 20 1/4 in.)

Inscription:
“Mountain rain sprinkles the valley groves,
a lonely village sits within the wet clouds;
the mountain’s shadow enters in a slight haze,
at the valley’s entrance evening mist arises.

During the ninth lunar month, autumn of the seventh year of the Tongzhi reign-era, painted in response to a request from Kongshou. Chen Ziqing, the Daoist of the Jade Container.”

Artist’s seal:
Yuhu (“Jade Container”)