Minneapolis Institute of Art

Nymph of the Luo River

Wang Shanggong

Date

1591

Medium

Ink on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The classical narrative poem “Nymph of the Luo River, ” written by Cao Zhi (192–232 CE), is the subject of this elegantly brushed handscroll. The story recounts an unsuccessful love affair between a poet and a river goddess. The verse, one of the standards of Chinese literature, became a favorite subject of painters. Attached to the painted portion of this scroll is a transcription of the “Nymph of the Luo River” by the late-Ming calligrapher Gu Mengyu, dated 1654. The painting is executed in the “fine-line” technique called baimiao. Although the style demands extraordinary brush control, Wang alternated areas of dry, textured brushwork with even, wirelike lines to add a sense of spontaneity and liveliness to the composition. Only a few paintings by Wang Shanggong reside in Western collections. China, Asia

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