Wang Zhongyu and Tao Yuanming

[Axis of Wang Zhongyu’s portrait of Tao Yuanming]

Axis of the portrait of Tao Yuanming, Ming Dynasty, Wang Zhongyu’s painting, paper book, ink brush, 106.8 cm vertically and 32.5 cm horizontally
There is no signature on this page. “Wang Zhongyu Seal” is stamped on the lower left
The official script on the upper part of the painting records the full text of the famous poem “Returning Home” by Tao Yuanming, a famous poet in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The lower part is painted with the figure of Tao Yuanming, holding a long scroll and looking at the distance. The wide sleeve of the robe flutters with the wind, and the image is natural and elegant. The portrait is drawn in line, mainly in light ink, occasionally in thick ink. The five features are outlined with thin lines, depicting the calm and serene attitude of the characters. The pattern lines are alternately used with the center and the side, with a gentle and smooth trend. The work shows Tao Yuanming’s pleasant demeanor and the extraordinary temperament of a generation of celebrities after he resigned from office and went back to seclusion.