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Lot Essay
The title of the painting is "Painting of Dream Journey, Sixth Scroll". It is signed Qingchi Daoren, bears one seal of the artist (Zheng Kui) and nine collector's seals, including two of Jean-Pierre Dubosc (1903-1988)
Label by Xu Shixue (1880-1957)
Cheng Zhengkui was born in Xiaogan, Hubei into a noted scholar-official family. Having attained the jinshi degree in 1631, he served initially in the Banquet Court and worked together with Dong Qichang (1555-1636) on a compilation of the history of the Ming dynasty. His official career was briefly interrupted when he was censured for offending a high official. Soon after returning to official duty, Cheng was forced to flee to Nanjing where the court was reestablished after its defeat by the Manchurians. Although he avoided serving the new dynasty for several years, Cheng eventually agreed to resume his government career in the Qing court. In 1656 he retired for the last time, having been dismissed from his post.
Cheng Zhengkui began studying painting at the age of five and studied with Dong Qichang while in his twenties. His most productive artistic periods coincided with his series of retirements from public life. Known for painting quickly, Cheng usually painted landscapes comprised of dry and agitated brushstrokes.
The noted collector and art historian, Zhou Lianggong (1612-1672), wrote in his biography of Cheng Zhengkui that the artist intended to paint approximately 500 versions of the Dream Journey. He began the series in 1651 and by the early 1660's completed 300. The artist seems not to have numbered the scrolls in the order in which they were produced, for both numbers 20 and 180 in the series are dated 1670 and number 91 is inscribed with the date 1661. Osvald Siren commented that he considered number six to be a later version, based on the greater degree of tonal modulation, freer flowing quality and the apparent influence of Cheng's close friend and neighbor, the monk-artist Kuncan (1612-circa 1674) (Osvald Siren, Chinese Painting: Leading Masters and Principles, vol. V, p. 112).
Label by Xu Shixue (1880-1957)
Cheng Zhengkui was born in Xiaogan, Hubei into a noted scholar-official family. Having attained the jinshi degree in 1631, he served initially in the Banquet Court and worked together with Dong Qichang (1555-1636) on a compilation of the history of the Ming dynasty. His official career was briefly interrupted when he was censured for offending a high official. Soon after returning to official duty, Cheng was forced to flee to Nanjing where the court was reestablished after its defeat by the Manchurians. Although he avoided serving the new dynasty for several years, Cheng eventually agreed to resume his government career in the Qing court. In 1656 he retired for the last time, having been dismissed from his post.
Cheng Zhengkui began studying painting at the age of five and studied with Dong Qichang while in his twenties. His most productive artistic periods coincided with his series of retirements from public life. Known for painting quickly, Cheng usually painted landscapes comprised of dry and agitated brushstrokes.
The noted collector and art historian, Zhou Lianggong (1612-1672), wrote in his biography of Cheng Zhengkui that the artist intended to paint approximately 500 versions of the Dream Journey. He began the series in 1651 and by the early 1660's completed 300. The artist seems not to have numbered the scrolls in the order in which they were produced, for both numbers 20 and 180 in the series are dated 1670 and number 91 is inscribed with the date 1661. Osvald Siren commented that he considered number six to be a later version, based on the greater degree of tonal modulation, freer flowing quality and the apparent influence of Cheng's close friend and neighbor, the monk-artist Kuncan (1612-circa 1674) (Osvald Siren, Chinese Painting: Leading Masters and Principles, vol. V, p. 112).