Nine Dragon Pool

1690s

Mei Qing

Mei Qing (Chinese, 1623–1697)

Chinese Art

Nine Dragon Pool, 1690s. Mei Qing (Chinese, 1623–1697). Hanging scroll, ink and light color on paper; image: 92 x 43.5 cm (36 1/4 x 17 1/8 in.); overall: 200.7 x 71.1 cm (79 x 28 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1979.50 In the second half of the 1600s, Huangshan 黃山 (Mt. Huang or Yellow Mountain) attracted many visitors and inspired artists like Mei Qing. He probably sketched the Nine Dragon Pool on his second trip to the mountain range in 1690, at the advanced age of 68 sui. This dramatic waterfall has nine curves, each forming an emerald green pool. After heavy rain, the rushing water looks like nine white dragons. Huangshan 黃山 is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its spectacular rocky peaks, sea of clouds, oddly shaped pine trees, and hot springs.

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Mei Qing
Classification: Painting
Formatted Medium: hanging scroll, ink and light color on paper
Medium: hanging, scroll, ink, light, color, paper
Dimensions: Image: 92 x 43.5 cm (36 1/4 x 17 1/8 in.); Overall: 200.7 x 71.1 cm (79 x 28 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: 太古蟄龍醒，蠺叢霹靂開。五溪雲不去，三峽雪飛來。瞿山, 清。 [印] 梅清; 淵公 Translation: Artist's inscription, signature, and 2 seals: In remote age, the hibernating dragon is awoken,/ As the ancient King Cancong, it split the land asunder/ Clouds do not descend onto the land of Five Streams./ But snow does fly here from the Three Gorges. Qushan, Qing. [seals] Mei Qing; Yuangong. Remark: Cancong was a legendary ruler of Sichuan in ancient times. Inscription: 2 additional seals: 1 of Dai Xi 戴煕 (1801–1860); 1 unidentified.
Departments: Chinese Art
Accession Number: 1979.50
Credit Line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Exhibitions: Year in Review: 1979, Mountains, Rocks, and Water: Landscape Painting in Asia, Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art, <em>To-So-Gen-Min, II </em>唐宋元明. Tokyo Imperial Museum, Tokyo, Japan (November 24-December 16, 1928)., <em>Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting</em>. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (November 7, 1980-January 4, 1981); The Cleveland Museum of Art (February 10-March 29, 1981); Tokyo National Museum (October 4-November 17, 1982).
Rights Statement: CC0