Two women, one playing a qin, the other attentive, in a garden with rocks and bamboo. The painter is not identified, and is not an artist of outstanding ability. As always, the date could be an earlier number in the 60 year cycle, but 1869 seems to fit stylistically. The main subjects, the women, are painted without any knowledge of traditional techniques for depicting drapery, and the faces are non-descript. The rock formations on which the two women sit have a liquid motion that would work well in a landscape, but not so in a garden. They relate awkwardly to the plane on which the women sit. The bamboo is better handled, but lacks energy and character. The inscription begins with a seven-character quatrain, followed by the date, dedication, and signature.
Two women, one playing a qin, the other attentive, in a garden with rocks and bamboo. The painter is not identified, and is not an artist of outstanding ability. As always, the date could be an earlier number in the 60 year cycle, but 1869 seems to fit stylistically. The main subjects, the women, are painted without any knowledge of traditional techniques for depicting drapery, and the faces are non-descript. The rock formations on which the two women sit have a liquid motion that would work well in a landscape, but not so in a garden. They relate awkwardly to the plane on which the women sit. The bamboo is better handled, but lacks energy and character. The inscription begins with a seven-character quatrain, followed by the date, dedication, and signature.
Two women, one playing a qin, the other attentive, in a garden with rocks and bamboo. The painter is not identified, and is not an artist of outstanding ability. As always, the date could be an earlier number in the 60 year cycle, but 1869 seems to fit stylistically. The main subjects, the women, are painted without any knowledge of traditional techniques for depicting drapery, and the faces are non-descript. The rock formations on which the two women sit have a liquid motion that would work well in a landscape, but not so in a garden. They relate awkwardly to the plane on which the women sit. The bamboo is better handled, but lacks energy and character. The inscription begins with a seven-character quatrain, followed by the date, dedication, and signature.
Shen Quan's album of figures include a 1) female immortal goddess type on a donkey, 2) a scene of parting, with a male figure carrying a gourd, 3) a couple kneeling before an altar, 4) the three sages (Buddha, Confucius, Laozi), 5) a female immortal with female attendant and deer, 6) a pair of figures cutting bamboo, 7) the woman with a fan, and 8) a pair of musicians. The paintings are competent , but not outstanding. They represent a variety of popular figures, gods, practices and would have had popular appeal in the late imperial period. They demonstrate the strength and vitality of narrative imagery, even in the post-Dong Qichang age, when orthodox landscape painting was dominated with elite views of painting. Each album leaf is 6 3/16 x 10 3.8 inches. Ink and colors on silk. To see another image from the album, click on related record below.
Shen Quan's album of figures include a 1) female immortal goddess on a donkey, 2) a scene of parting, with a male figure carrying a gourd, 3) a couple kneeling before an altar, 4) the three sages (Buddha, Confucius, Laozi), 5) a female immortal with female attendant and deer, 6) a pair of figures cutting bamboo, 7) the woman with a fan, and 8) a pair of musicians. The paintings are competent , but not outstanding. They represent a variety of popular figures, gods, practices and would have had popular appeal in the late imperial period. They demonstrate the strength and vitality of narrative imagery, even in the post-Dong Qichang age, when orthodox landscape painting was dominated with elite views of painting. Each is 6 3/16 x 10 3/8 inches. Ink and colors on silk. To view another of the genre scenes, click on related record below.
