Public data from the Cleveland Museum of Art. Learn more
About the Artwork
Similar to some calligraphers of his time, Zhu Da rejected conventions in favor of an individual, personal expression. He is known for ambiguous compositions of fish, flowers, birds, and rocks in contrasting ink tonality. As a member of the Ming imperial family, Zhu lost his princely status and hid in a monastery when the Manchus, foreigners from the north, established the Qing dynasty in 1644. In this late work, mountain ranges are rendered in diverse and dense strokes rising toward the top of the scroll. It references the artist Dong Qichang (1555–1636) in concept. Yet the cursory brushwork and composition present Zhu’s personal style.
Inscriptions
Artist's inscription, signature, and 3 seals: Painting after Guo Shuxian [Guo Zhongshu]. Bada shanren. [2 seals] Shanren; Kede shenxian 可得神仙. [seal, lower left corner] Yaozhu 遥属; 8 additional seals: 1 of Li Shifen (1821–1885); 4 of Chang Yüan 張爰 [Zhang Daqian 張大千] (1899–1983); 3 unidentified.
Provenance
Chang Dai-chien [Zhang Daqian 張大千] [1899–1983] ?–1955: (Walter Hochstadter [1914–2007], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) 1955–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition history
Chinese Landscape Painting. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 5-December 26, 1954). Art: The International Language. The Cleveland Museum of Art (October 2-November 4, 1956). Fifteen Chinese Paintings from the Cleveland Museum of Art. Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA (organizer) (October 9-28, 1964). Chu Ta: Selected Paintings and Calligraphy. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center (organizer) (December 2, 1972-January 28, 1973); The New York Cultural Center, New York, NY (February 28-April 15, 1973). Mountains, Rocks, and Water: Landscape Painting in Asia. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 2-December 13, 1987). The Dancing Brush: Ming Dynasty Calligraphers and Eccentrics. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 8, 2024-March 2, 2025).
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Bada Shanren (Chinese, 1626–1705)
- Date
- c. 1680–1705
- Medium
- Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions
- Painting: 109.9 x 56.4 cm (43 1/4 x 22 3/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 247.7 x 84.5 cm (97 1/2 x 33 1/4 in.)
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- Chinese Art
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
- Accession no.
- 1955.36
More by Bada Shanren in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00009425
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