Silk Handscroll with Wang Xizhi Attribution Featuring Lu Ji Portrait, Orchid and Rock Painting, and Regular Script Copy of Wen Fu (Frontispiece Inscribed “Model for All Generations,” Later Scholarly Composite Handscroll, Ming–Qing Period)

拍品描述

Dimensions: Overall length 1,070 cm × width 52 cm (approx. 421.3 × 20.5 inches; approx. 35.1 × 1.7 feet), Chinese handscroll from the 16th–19th century，Condition & Provenance: The handscroll remains complete with its traditional mounting, including the frontispiece, calligraphy sections, orchid and rock painting, Lu Ji portrait, and later inscription fragments. The silk surface has developed a natural aged brown tone with authentic signs of time, while the ink remains stable and deeply settled. Numerous collector seals are visible throughout the work, reflecting its long history of appreciation and ownership. Provenance: Private Collection, New York, USA，Description: This is a complete Chinese scholarly handscroll combining calligraphy, portraiture, and literati painting in a traditional horizontal scroll format. The work consists of a frontispiece, the main painted and calligraphic sections, and later inscription fragments, all executed on silk with ink and color. The opening section features a deep crimson silk frontispiece decorated with gilt floral patterns and scrolling chrysanthemum motifs. The four large regular-script characters “Wan Shi Shi Biao” (“A Model for All Generations”) are written prominently across the surface, with powerful structure, bold ink tone, and a formal presence. A large vermilion seal is placed above the inscription, adding to the ceremonial character of the opening section. The main body of the handscroll is composed of three major sections: the regular-script transcription of Lu Ji’s Wen Fu, an ink painting of orchids, bamboo, and rocks, and a portrait of Lu Ji. The calligraphy section presents the famous literary work Wen Fu by the Western Jin writer Lu Ji, beginning with “Wen Fu: Whenever I observe the works of talented writers…” The regular script is carefully arranged with balanced spacing, elegant structure, and refined brush control. The aged silk surface displays natural historical tones, while numerous collector seals throughout the composition document its long tradition of appreciation. The orchid and rock painting section uses expressive ink strokes to depict rugged rocks, elegant orchids, and delicate bamboo. The composition reflects the traditional literati approach of using painting as an extension of calligraphic expression. The Lu Ji portrait presents the Western Jin scholar wearing a traditional high headpiece, with a simplified yet expressive facial depiction and clothing reflecting the style of early Chinese scholar imagery. Together, the portrait, literary text, and literati painting create a complete visual narrative connecting “literature, author, and scholar aesthetics.” The handscroll continues with additional sections of the Wen Fu text, ending with a signature reading “Written by Wang Xizhi” accompanied by multiple name seals and collector marks. Historically, Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin dynasty left no authentic surviving manuscript of Wen Fu; therefore, this work should be understood as a later attributed composite handscroll created in admiration of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphic tradition and Lu Ji’s literary achievement. The final sections contain silk-mounted labels and later inscription fragments with numerous seals, providing additional information about its collecting history. With its complete structure, aged silk, stable ink, extensive seals, and combination of calligraphy, portraiture, and literati painting, this handscroll represents an important example of traditional Chinese artistic appreciation and collecting culture.

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