handscroll; calligraphy; painting BM-1977-0509-0.3

Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1368-1644
Materials:paper
Technique:painted
Subjects:calligraphy landscape arms/armour
Dimensions:Length: 542.50 centimetres Width: 43.60 centimetres

Description:
Handscroll. Calligraphy: Poem. Baojian xing, or the Treasure Sword. Ink on paper.
IMG


Comments:Farrer 1990, Cat. 6: “Fan Jingwen was a native of Wuqiao, Zhili to the west of Beijing. He was an official, a poet and a painter. He occupied various important official posts and became Grand Secretary in 1644, when the Ming dynasty ended and China was conquered by the Manchus. Fan Jingwen was a loyal servant to the Ming emperor and when the capital fell to the Manchus, he showed his loyalty by committing suicide as did many other officials. This hand scroll in large running script shows Fan Jingwen’s fluid easy style. Writing with a combination of three and four characters to a column, he occasionally gives more space for calligraphic emphasis and so slows the rhythm of the work.”