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Lot Essay
Table screens, along with a whole array of literati objects, became very fashionable ornaments of the scholar’s studio from the Ming dynasty and on. Emperor Qianlong was an adamant promoter of elegant trends who would sometimes dress as a scholar himself. Table screens commissioned by the Qing court made with precious materials were the Manchu royal family’s tribute to the literati tradition.
The subject shown here is one of the ancient cypress trees on the grounds of the famed Songyang Academy in Henan province. It was established as an academy during the Song dynasty in the 11th century and was highly influential in the development of Confucianism. The so-called General Cypress (jiangjun bai) depicted was a landmark of the venue.
Emperor Qianlong visited the Academy in the early summer of 1762 and painted the cypress. His poem and inscription on the painting, also replicated on a stele in the Academy, commemorated this event. These texts, along with the seals the emperor used on his painting, are later reproduced on this plaque. We observe here an intricate and painterly imitation of an event.
The subject shown here is one of the ancient cypress trees on the grounds of the famed Songyang Academy in Henan province. It was established as an academy during the Song dynasty in the 11th century and was highly influential in the development of Confucianism. The so-called General Cypress (jiangjun bai) depicted was a landmark of the venue.
Emperor Qianlong visited the Academy in the early summer of 1762 and painted the cypress. His poem and inscription on the painting, also replicated on a stele in the Academy, commemorated this event. These texts, along with the seals the emperor used on his painting, are later reproduced on this plaque. We observe here an intricate and painterly imitation of an event.