Plants and Insects in an Autumn Garden
Artist: Wang Zhao (Chinese, active during Jiajing Period (1522-1566))
Date: Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Jiajing Period
Dimensions:
12 1/2 x 104 in.
Medium: Handscroll, watercolor on paper
Classification: Drawings
Credit Line: Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number: 1956.14
Label Text:Boldly painted, this long, horizontal rendering of an insect-filled garden with autumn blooms was never intended to be seen all at once. Rather, a seated viewer unrolled it only an arm’s-length section at a time, viewing it from right to left. Looking at handscrolls was therefore an intimate and interactive experience—like looking through a book. Because each section of the scroll was revealed gradually, the act of exploring the painting incorporated a sense of discovery and anticipation.
Not on view
In Collection(s)