Portrait of An Qi

1715

Wang Hui

Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717)

Chinese Art

Portrait of An Qi, 1715. Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717), Tu Luo (Chinese, active about 1715), Yang Jin (Chinese, 1644–1728). Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper; image: 121.8 x 53.5 cm (47 15/16 x 21 1/16 in.); overall: 259.7 x 89.5 cm (102 1/4 x 35 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1971.17 Seven of An Qi's close friends wrote poetic inscriptions on the silk brocade around his portrait.

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Wang Hui
Classification: Painting
Formatted Medium: hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Medium: hanging, scroll, ink, color, paper
Dimensions: Image: 121.8 x 53.5 cm (47 15/16 x 21 1/16 in.); Overall: 259.7 x 89.5 cm (102 1/4 x 35 1/4 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: [印]上下千年. 麓村高逸：康煕乙未季春，廣陵涂洛寫照，海虞楊晉布景，八十四叟王翬補竹石。[印]耕煙; 王翬之印. Translation: Artist's inscription, signature, and 3 seals by Wang Hui 王翬: [seal] Shang xia qian nian. The lofty and free Lucun: In the spring season of yiwei of the Kangxi reign, Tu Luo of Guangling rendered the portrait, Yang Jin of Haiyu provided the scenic background, and I, Wang Hui at eighty-four years of age, added the bamboo and rocks. [seals] Gengyan; Wang Hui zhi yin. Inscription: 俯視塵寰逸韻高，襟懷潚灑興偏豪。/ 琴書座右親風雅，竹石池邊拭羽毛。/ 蕉葉亂雲遮北礀，鶴翎凝雪戀東皋。/ 翩翩度量如君少，靜對秋江萬斛濤。 Translation: 1 colophon at the top right and 3 seals of Song Dengye 宋定業 (c. 17th-18th c.): Looking down on the dusty world, your free spirit is indeed aloof./ Your bosom is free, and your spirit is heroic./ To your right are a qin and books, so refined are you./ To the right of the bamboo is the pond near which the crane is cleaning its feathers./ The banana leaves and the turbulent clouds conceal the northern torrents./ The crane, with his snowy white feathers, lingers at the eastern slope./ There are so few like you, with so generous a temperament./ Quietly you face the autumn river’s myriad loads of waves. Inscription: 知君頗好道，作意洗緐縟。/ 遂窮林亭勝，翛然契幽獨。/ 自得會忘言，餘善時往復。/ 岸幘若有期，把卷一停讀。/ 鶴馴行載正，雲閑斷還續。/ 橘柚欎寒煙，芭蕉瀉深綠。/ 石橋逕屢迴，暗水流亦曲。/ 真心恣奇探，曠景縱遐矚。/ 陶謝不可作，此旨更誰屬。/ 眷焉展斯圖，令我怡心目。 Translation: 1 colophon at the middle right and 3 seals of Qian Chenqun 錢陳群 (1686–1774), dated 1716: I know you are fond of the Way,/ Intending to shed worldly goods./ Having seen all those lovely gardens,/ Still you favor seclusion and solitude./ In contentment, words are forgotten./ What remain are but deeds of kindness./ The official cap may be ready for change./ You open the scroll, but come to a stop./ Like a tamed crane, you act properly./ A leisurely cloud may break apart but stay connected./ Citrus trees attract chilling mist,/ As the banana leaves unleash the deep green./ The path twists and turns toward the stone bridge./ The hidden stream flows and meanders./ A sincere heart seeks adventures./ An open scene expands one’s view./ We can no longer emulate Tao and Xie./ To whom can we entrust this idea?/ Affectionately, I unroll the picture,/ It will bring delight to my mind and eyes. Remark: Qian Chenqun was the most prominent of the inscribers, although at the time this was written, he was just a juren, a provincial graduate. Inscription: 逸興迥絶塵，風流仰高躅。/ 側無鹿角巾，横呈豹皮褥。/ 胸藏山壑富，座列琴囊足。/ 橙懸萬顆黄，蕉散一叢綠。/ 泉清鶴景長，樹遠雲光續。/ 披圖識性情，伊人温似玉。 Translation: 1 colophon and 2 seals of Cai Erjun 蔡爾浚 (c. 18th c.): Your free spirit leaves behind the dusty world./ Your elegance compels us to look up to you./ By your side there is no cap of deer horn./ Laid beneath is the leopard skin./ Your bosom contains a wealth of hills and ravines./ By your side is a shielded qin./ The yellow oranges hang by the thousands./ The banana plant split to unveil clusters of green./ The stream is clear, and the shadow of the crane lengthens./ The trees are distant, as cloud and light linger./ Open the scroll to savor the man’s inner disposition./ Such a man is as gentle as a piece of jade. Remark: Cai Erjun wrote his poem in clerical script. Inscription: 風雅出塵寰，披圖見一斑。/ 橘香新雨後，竹影夕陽間。/ 流水鳴前澗，歸雲渡遠山。/ 幽棲如可遂，應許共追攀。 Translation: 1 colophon at the upper left and 1 seal of Miao Yueqi 繆曰芑 (c. 18th c.): His spirit soars beyond the dusty world./ Open the picture and one can seize the truth./ The orange scent rises after the fresh rain./ The bamboo casts shadows under the setting sun./ Flowing water gurgles in the torrent upstream./ Returning clouds move across the distant hills./ If a retired seclusion is possible,/ Please allow us to follow you. Inscription: 蕭灑披襟坐，琴書逸興長。/ 衫分蕉葉碧，冠學竹皮黄。/ 高樹穿雲斷，流泉帶菊香。/ 幽懷真曠達，何地不羲皇。 Translation: 1 colophon at the middle left and 3 seals of Song Shizeng 宋師曾 (c. 18th c.): Casually he sits there, collars loosened,/ With a sustained interest in the qin and books./ Your long robe splits open like the banana plant’s green leaves,/ Your cap emulates the yellow bamboo skin./ Tall trees shoot up and divide the clouds./ A flowing stream is imbued with the scent of chrysanthemum./ Your inner mind is truly all-encompassing./ Wherever he goes, there are kindred spirits to Emperor Xi. Inscription: 秋色滿林壑，孤琴獨玄閒。/ 境歸簪紱外，道在水雲間。/ 棄智如藏璞，栖心静若山。/ 看君此圖畫，永以謝塵顏。 Translation: 1 colophon at the lower left and 2 seals of Tong Hong 佟鋐 (c. 18th c.): Autumn hues fill the forest and ravine./ A single qin alone is mysterious and relaxing./ The scene here is beyond one’s grasp./ The true Way is where cloud and water merge./ Shed one’s wisdom to regain the primordial simplicity./ A heart at rest is as still as the mountains./ I look at you in this picture./ I thank you forever by leaving my dusty face behind. Inscription: 修竹叢蕉坐綠天，君容早歳已如仙。/ 山中寄謝王摩詰，頭白方知住輞川。/ 千樹勝封萬戸侯，西風載滿李衡舟。/ 看君高致輕軒冕，坐享江鄉富貴秋。 Translation: 1 colophon at the lower left and 2 seals of Zhao Chai 趙茞: He sits amid tall bamboo and banana clusters under a green sky./ Your appearance, in early years, already takes on that of an Immortal./ Amid the hills, you could perhaps express your thanks to Wang Mojie./ Until one’s hair turns white, can one know that he is already in Wangchuan./ Planting thousands of trees is better than being made a marquis./ The western wind carries Li Heng’s loaded boats./ I capture your lofty sentiment and your disdain for social climbing,/ As you sit by the riverbank and enjoy a prosperous autumn. Remark: Zhao Chai was apparently a Daoist initiate, claiming a direct link to the Yuqing 玉清 sect. His poem is unique among the inscriptions in praising An Qi's commercial acumen. Noting the abundance of oranges in An Qi's garden, Zhao Chai recalled the official Li Heng 李衡 (active c. AD 220-265), whose groves of orange trees ensured a secure financial foundation for his descendants. Inscription: 6 seals unidentified.
Departments: Chinese Art
Accession Number: 1971.17
Credit Line: John L. Severance Fund
Exhibitions: Year in Review: 1971, Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting, Portraiture: The Image of the Individual, Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art, Inspired by Chinese Landscape and Art – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c
Rights Statement: CC0