Wang Shimin 王時敏 (1592-1680). Landscape after Old Masters 王時敏仿古山水。 1666. Album (8 paintings), ink on paper; 21.6 x 32.6 cm. Mactaggart Art Collection 2004.19.71

a. After Juran 巨然 (fl. 10th century) 倣巨然 artist’s seal: 王時敏印 12 collector’s seals b. After Ke Jiusi 柯九思 (1290-1343) 倣柯丹丘 hao: Ke Danqiu artist’s seal: 王時敏印 3 collector’s seals c. After Huang Gongwang 黃公望 (1269-1364) 倣黃子久 zi: Huang Zijiu artist’s seal: 王時敏印 3 collector’s seals, including one belonging to Ruan Yuan 伯元鑒定 Boyuan jianding, authenticated by Boyuan d. After Mi Youren 米友仁 (1086-1165) 倣米數文 hao: Mi Shuwen artist’s seal: 王時敏印 2 collector’s seals e. After Ni Zan 倪瓚 (1301-1374) 倣倪迂 Ni Yu artist’s seal: 王時敏印 4 collector’s seals, including one belonging to Ruan Yuan 伯元審定 Boyuan shending, examined and approved by Boyuan f. After Huang Gongwang 黃公望 (1269-1364) 倣大痴 hao: Dachi artist’s seal: 王時敏印 3 collector’s seals g. After Wang Meng 王蒙 (1308-1365) 倣黃隺山樵 hao: Huangque shanqiao artist’s seal: 王時敏印 2 collector’s seals h. After Zhao Lingrang 趙令穰 (fl. 1067-1100) 倣趙令穰 zi: Danian 大年 丙午冬日寫

1 扵農慶堂 王時敏 Sketched by Wang Shimin at the Nongqing Hall on this winter day of the bingwu year (1666) artist’s seal: 王時敏印 4 collector’s seals opposite leaf (recto) 2 colophons, 7 collector’s seals:

Lin Jiyong’s colophon 此冊為西盧老人七十 五歲作。真神品也 癸巳夏日林繼庸敬觀

This album was made by the Old Man of the Western Hut Reeds at age 75. It’s an authentic and inspiring piece. Celebrated and viewed on a summer day in 1953 by Lin Jiyong followed by Lin Jiyong’s seal: 繼蘭書翰 Jilan shuhan Jiyong’s writing Lin Jiyong (1897-1985) notes: Wang Shimin moved to a place called Xitian 西田 or West Fields when he retired.

Wu Hufan’s colophon 奉常此冊堪与董玄宰並美，直入元人之室也。余 所見諸本俱出其下。壬申三月吴湖帆敬觀

This album by the Minister of Worshiip is just as good as that by Dong Xuanzhi [, 1555-1636] in that it directly enters the realm of Yuan-dynasty painting. All of the other albums I have viewed pale in comparison. Celebrated and viewed by Wu Hufan in the third month of the renshen year [April, 1932]. followed by Wu Hufan’s seal 梅景書屋 Meijing shuwu Plum scenery studio notes: fengchang 奉常 was an official title in the Han dynasty, and contemporaries respectfully called Wang 太常寺少卿 following page (verso) 1 colophon:

Wu Huayuan’s colophon: 此冊蒼秀中自具古拙之致。而扵倣倪迂大痴 兩頁更超妙入神。非多見元賢妙跡未易解此， 伯元仁兄偶然拾得，墨緣不淺，其善寶之。 壬申四月望日吴華源附誌

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The luxuriantly elegant contents of this album reach and capture the ancients. The two leafs imitating Ni Yu [Ni Zan] and Dachi [Huang Gongwang] surpass the marvelous and enter into the mysterious. It is not easy to accomplish this much without seeing many marvelous traces from worthy painters of the Yuan dynasty. Although my kind brother Boyuan [Ruan Yuan] encountered this piece by chance, it also should be said that he and the painting were brought together by the deep fate of ink. Please treasure this masterpiece. Note appended by Wu Huayuan on the day before the fourth month of the renshen year [May 1932]. followed by Wu Huayuan’s seal: 子／華源書畫 Huayuan’s calligraphy and painting

question for further research: Wu Huayuan’s colophon was inscribed one month after that of Wu Hufan. Is Huayuan is a family member?

Bibliography Chang, Tsenti Joseph. “A Study of Large Emerging from Small in the Collection of the , Taibei.” Thesis (Ph. D.), University of Kansas, 1996. (available online through the Dissertation Abstracts database) Chen Ci, Chen Chuanxi 陈辞, 陈传席. Wang Shimin 王时敏. Shijiazhuang: Hebei jiaoyu chubanshe, 2009. Chen Kuilin 陳夔麟, ed. Baoyu ge shuhua lu 寶迂閣書畫錄. Beijing: Beijing tushuguan chubanshe, 2007. Chou Ju-hsi, ed. The Elegant Brush: Chinese Painting Under the Qianlong Emperor 1735-1795. Phoenix: Phoenix Art Museum, 1985. Fong, Wen C. “ and Repossessing the Past.” In Landscapes Clear and Radiant: The Art of Wang Hui (1632-1717). Ed. Maxwell K. Hearn, 3-48. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2008, esp. 3-21. xianzhengxie wenshi weiyuanhui 太仓县政协文史委员会编 eds., Wang Shimin yu loudong huapai 王时敏与娄东画派. Hangzhou: Zhejiang renmin meishu chubanshe, 1994. Wicks, Ann Elizabeth Barrott. “Wang Shih-Min (1592-1680) and the Orthodox Theory of Art: The Six Famous Practioners.” Thesis (Ph. D.), Cornell University, Aug., 1982. (available online through the Dissertation Abstracts database)

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