Chinese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
A catalogue of the Ashmolean collection of Chinese paintings by Shelagh Vainker (published Oxford, 2000).
Publications online: 222 objects
Myriad Autumn Peaks
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Literature notes
Xiao Sun was from Huaining in Anhui province, where he first learnt to paint with Jiang Yun (1847-1919). He travelled throughout China and eventually settled in Peking, where he held a succession of teaching posts, and was an active member of Chen Hengke's Society for the Study of Chinese Painting in the 1920s. He was one of the major early twentieth century promoters of the early Qing individualist painter Dao Ji, who was also from Anhui. -
Description
Xiao Sun was from Huaining in Anhui province, where he first learnt to paint with Jian Yun (1847-1919). In the inscription on this painting, the artist describes: ‘[I] casually composed [this painting], and unexpectedly it looks like [the works of] Huanghe shanqiao [aka Wang Meng (1301-1385)]. His early works were tidy and rigid. Someone told him “painting should be for yourself, not for others”. After that, [he] changed his attitude, and his art is much improved. In my opinion, his later achievement is a consequence of his early rigidness; when his spirit comes and comes to the pond [to paint], he brings out his personal characteristics and style, and undoubtedly shows the quality. Saying something like ‘for others or for yourself’ is to make others believe [his reason of changing], which he first makes himself believe’.
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Details
- Associated place
- Date
- 1883 - 1944
- Artist/maker
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Xiao Sun (1883 - 1944) (artist)
- Associated people
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Wang Meng (1308 - 1385) (named on object)
- Material and technique
- ink and colour on paper
- Dimensions
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mount 200 x 59.7 cm approx. (height x width)
painting 103 x 49 cm (height x width)
along roller 68.3 cm (length)
- Material index
- Technique index
- Object type index
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Purchased, 1962.
- Accession no.
- EA1962.232
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Further reading
Vainker, Shelagh, Chinese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 2000), no. 146 on p. 170, illus. p. 171 fig. 146
Past Exhibition
see (1)
Location
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- currently in research collection
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
Publications online
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Chinese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Xiao Sun was from Huaining in Anhui province, where he first learnt to paint with Jiang Yun (1847-1919). He travelled throughout China and eventually settled in Peking, where he held a succession of teaching posts, and was an active member of Chen Hengke's Society for the Study of Chinese Painting in the 1920s. He was one of the major early twentieth century promoters of the early Qing individualist painter Dao Ji, who was also from Anhui.
Notice
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