ZHENG MIN (1607-after 1682)

Details

ZHENG MIN (1607-after 1682)

Mountains and River without End

Handscroll, ink on paper, 4 7/8 x 190in. (12 x 482.6cm.)

Inscribed by the artist with a poem and commentary: "In mid-autumn of guimao year (1663) Monk Jian (Jian Jiang, Hongren, 1610-1664) showed me his painted copy of an original work by Dazhi (Huang Gongwang, 1269-1354). I spent five days and evenings making this reduced copy. It represents probably [only] one ten-thousandth of the original masterpiece but gives me pleasure for spiritual traveling." The artist then copied the inscription written by Huang Gongwang and colophon by Ni Zan (1301-1374) from the original

Signed: Gukou Zheng Min

Dated guimao year (1663)

Five seals of the artist: including Zheng Min Zhi Yin, Mu Qian, Gui Mao, Dan Qing Bu Zhi Lao Shou Zhi. Also, six small seals of the artist placed on each paper joint: Mu Qian

Ten collectors' seals, including two each of the Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1736-1795) and Pan Yanling (19th century) and one of Deng Shi (?-1948)

Lot Essay

Zheng Min was a calligrapher, landscape painter, poet and Confucian scholar from Anwei province. After the fall of the Ming dynasty, he became a monk. Although Zheng Min painted in the style of many ancient artists, he was best known for the dry, sparse landscapes, typical of such other Anwei artists as Zheng's friends, Hongren (1610-1664) and Xiao Yuncong (1596-1673).