Mi Fu (Mi Yuan Zhang), Running Script Handscroll with Poetry Texts, Featuring the Frontispiece Inscription “Transcendent Natural Elegance” by Zhao Puchu and Colophon by Qian Weicheng，Northern Song Dynasty (11th–12th Century)

拍品描述

Dimensions: Height 45 cm (17.7 inches, 1.48 feet), Length 640 cm (251.9 inches, 21 feet) (11th–12th Century Northern Song Dynasty handscroll)Condition and Provenance: Overall well preserved. The paper body, gilt-paper frontispiece, attached colophons, and mounting components remain complete. The calligraphy is clear and legible, with numerous collector seals throughout, preserving the traditional structure of a classical Chinese handscroll. Provenance: Private Collection, California, USA.Description: This is a complete traditional Chinese handscroll created in the classic mounting format, consisting of a gilt-paper frontispiece, main calligraphy section, and multiple historical colophons. The frontispiece bears the inscription “Transcendent Natural Elegance,” written by Zhao Puchu, praising the exceptional refinement and natural beauty of the work. The main section is a paper handscroll of running script attributed to the Northern Song master calligrapher Mi Fu (Mi Yuan Zhang). The composition demonstrates Mi Fu’s renowned “brush-washing” style, with expressive movement, dynamic pressure changes, varied structures, and a graceful rhythm throughout the entire scroll. Numerous imperial and private collector seals appear across the surface, recording the historical appreciation and collecting history of the piece. The attached colophons include an inscription by Qian Weicheng on gilt blue paper along with later scholarly notes, adding significant historical and artistic value. The complete mounting structure, calligraphy, inscriptions, and seals together represent the highest tradition of classical Chinese scholarly art.Description: The frontispiece, main calligraphy, and colophons are executed on various forms of antique paper, entirely written in ink and accompanied by numerous vermilion collector seals and artist seals. The handscroll follows the traditional format: gilt-paper frontispiece → paper running-script calligraphy → multiple historical colophons. Mi Fu was one of the greatest masters of the Northern Song Dynasty and one of the celebrated “Four Masters of Song Calligraphy.” His distinctive running script style has been highly admired by collectors and institutions for centuries. The scroll remains complete with its mounting, inscriptions, seals, and historical additions, presenting a remarkable example of classical Chinese calligraphic heritage.

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