Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

A View of Chinese Gardens

(from 5th Aug until 30th Nov 2014)

Explore the 'Four Gentlemen' of Chinese flowers and garden scenes from the Ashmolean collections.

Detail of 'Spring Morning in Han Palace', by Gu Jianlong, 17th century (Museum no: EA2007.167)
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Autumn chrysanthemum

  • Description

    Chrysanthemum is a prominent autumn flower in Chinese gardens, and is regarded as one of the 'Four Gentlemen', symbolising unyielding spirit in adversity. It is often accompanied by hedges in Chinese paintings. The theme of this painting may relate to a famous poem by Tao Yuanming, a reclusive poet from the mid-Six Dynasties period (c.AD 220-AD 589). The poem descrives Tao's life after quitting government service - "I pluck chrysanthemums under the eastern hedge, then gaze long at the distant summer hills." First an army official and then a monk, the artist Xu Gu (1823-1896) was associated with artistic circles in Yangzhou, and later with the Shanghai School in the 19th century. He is renowned for his depictions of flowers, fruits, birds, and fish using the side of a dry brush, that skill is evident in this painting.

  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia China (place of creation)
    AsiaChina Zhejiang province (possible place of creation)
    Date
    mid-19th century
    Artist/maker
    Xu Gu (1823 - 1896) (artist)
    Material and technique
    ink and colour on paper
    Dimensions
    frame 34.5 x 48 x 2 cm (height x width x depth)
    painting 19 x 21.5 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented in honour of Dr Angelita Trinidad and the late Jose Mauricio Reyes to celebrate the opening of the Khoan and Michael Sullivan Gallery of Chinese Painting, 2000.
    Accession no.
    EA2000.154

Past Exhibition

see (1)

Location

    • currently in research collection

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