painting BM-1903-0408-0.1.b

Period:Unknown Production date:c. 1746 (after Qianlong’s commentary on the scroll)
Materials:paper
Technique:painted
Subjects:tree/bush bamboo landscape
Dimensions:Height: 24.80 centimetres Width: 74 centimetres

Description:
Painting of pine tree, bamboo, rock and spring. Ink on paper. Signed and with seal marks.
IMG


Comments:The Qianlong Emperor specified particular mountings for his most treasured calligraphies and paintings; in this case for “The Admonitions of the Court Instructess” (BM 1903.0408,0.1), attributed to Gu Kaizhi (c. 344-406). The Emperor personally added a title and sketch to each one. In addition, a court artist painted a complementary work. Zou’s contribution shows the so-called ‘Four Gentlemen’: pine trees, rocks, bamboo and orchids. All symbolise taste and elegance. Zou left space for the enormous seal (‘Treasure of the Most Exalted Emperor’), which was not added until 1796, moe than 50 years later, when the Qianlong Emperor abdicated. Zou’s signature, ‘Your servant, Zou Yigui, respectfully painted’, with a tiny seal, is at the left, underneath Qianlong’s earlier oval seal, Treasure Imperially Examined by Qianlong. The half-seal at the right edge shows how this sheet was joined to Qianlong’s colophon after the painting.