Public collection via the Cleveland Museum of Art
AT-00009443Lady Xuanwen Giving Instruction on the Rites of Zhou
Also known as: Lady Xuanwen Jun Giving Instructions on the Classics; Lady Xuanwen Jun Giving Instructions on the Rites of Zhou; Lady Xuanwen Giving Instruction on the Rites of Zhou 宣文君授經圖; Lady Hsüan-wen Giving Instructions on the Classics
About the Artwork
This painting by Chen Hongshou depicts the story of Xuanwen Jun, or Lady of Literary Propagation, at a venerable age, instructing young scholars on the Confucian classics. It was painted for Chen’s aunt in celebration of her 60th birthday. Chen’s painting style is archaic in the use of fine outlines and brilliant coloring with mineral pigments. In depicting the figures, he uses the “iron-wire” brush style (fine, even lines) with deliberate control. The faces are elongated and exaggerated. A few ritual bronzes lend the scene an antique flavor.
Inscriptions
宣文君者韋逞母宋氏也。父授以周官音義，曰：吾家世學傳周官。傳業相繼。此又周公所製，經紀〔典〕誥百官品物備於此矣。女可受之。君諷誦不輟。石帝徙山東。君乃推鹿車，背負父所授書到冀州。逞時年少。晝則採樵，夜則教逞。逞遂學成名立。仕符堅為太常。堅常幸其太學，問博士經典。乃憫禮樂遺缺。時博士盧壺對曰：廢學既久，書傳零落。比年綴撰，正經粗集。惟周官、禮經，未有其師。竊見太常韋逞母宋氏世學家，女傳其父業。得周官音義。今年八十。視聽無闕。非此母無可傳授後生。于是就宋氏家立講堂，置生員百二十人。隔絳紗縵而授業焉。拜宋氏爵，號為宣文君。賜侍婢十人。周官學後行于世。 崇禎戊寅八月二日，為綬姑六旬之辰。綬弟自成為姑偦。偕姑季女駱密、外孫楹、楠、楩、橒、楞、棅、孫女惠、漉酒上壽，屬綬圖寫，所以頌祝者。綬思宋母尚五胡之時，經藉屬之婦人；今太平有象，而秉杖名義者，獨綬姑爾。敬寫此圖，且厚望于弟紹焉。猶子洪綬九頓首。; 5 additional seals: 2 of Xu Weiren 徐渭仁(1788－1855); 2 of Sun Zutong 孫祖同 (1894–1937); 1 of C. C. Wang 王季遷 (1907–2003).
Provenance
Wan Chengzi 萬承紫 [1775–after 1837] Xu Weiren 徐渭仁 [1788–1853] early 20th century: Sun Zutong 孫祖同 [1894–1937] ?–1961: (C. C. Wang 王季遷 [1907–2003], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) 1961–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition history
Year in Review (1961). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 1-26, 1961). Fantastics and Eccentrics in Chinese Painting. The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (March 23-May 28, 1967); Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA (June 20-August 13, 1967); Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA (September 15-November 5, 1967). Highlights of Asian Paintings from The Cleveland Museum of Art. Nara National Museum (organizer) (February 21-March 29, 1998); Suntory Museum of Art (April 28-June 21, 1998). Six Dynasties of Chinese Painting (Chinese art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 10, 2023-May 5, 2024).
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Chen Hongshou (Chinese, 1598/99–1652)
- Date
- 1638
- Medium
- Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
- Dimensions
- Image: 172.8 x 55.7 cm (68 1/16 x 21 15/16 in.); Overall: 293.9 x 71 cm (115 11/16 x 27 15/16 in.); with knobs: 293.9 x 79 cm (115 11/16 x 31 1/8 in.)
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- Chinese Art
- Credit line
- Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
- Accession no.
- 1961.89
More by Chen Hongshou in museum collections
Open-access museum record · AT-00009443
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