Along the River During the Qingming Festival

This painting is an homage to the magnum opus of Song dynasty master Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145), Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Zhang's masterpiece recorded the daily life of Northern Song capital Bianliang in intimate detail, inspiring numerous works by later generations of artists. These include a collaborative court work painted for the Qianlong Emperor in 1736 that added a palatial scene at the end of the scroll, now the National Palace Museum Taipei. The ornate barges and elaborate architecture at the end of this scroll parallel the composition of the 18th century imperial court work.

Like many other Qing dynasty versions of Along the River During the Qingming Festival, this painting has been signed with the name of Ming master Qiu Ying, clearly identifying the stylistic associations of the painting, and likely amplifying its commercial appeal in the late-Qing art market.