Plum Blossoms, Album Leaves
Wang Shishen
Qing Dynasty
- MEDIUM:Ink on silk
- FORMATS:Album of 7 leaves
- DIMENSIONS:Height 22.5 cm; Width 30 cm
Introduction
Created when Wang Shishen was 56 and blind in his left eye, this album demonstrates his enduring optimism and devotion to painting plum blossoms. Each painting depicts plum branches in varied poses, with gnarled old limbs showing resilience and tender new shoots full of vitality. Blossoms bloom abundantly, braving frost and snow. On the fourth and sixth paintings, withered branches of orchids and bamboo accompany the plum, symbolizing the qualities of the noble gentleman. Wang Shishen often painted plums with light ink washes for the branches and darker touches for moss, circling the flowers with ink, achieving simple yet graceful elegance. The resulting compositions are delicate and refined, capturing the plum’s noble and enduring spirit. Jin Nong praised Wang’s work as “commanding a subtle fragrance.”
Several seals from the Republican-era artist and collector Zhu Zhichen attest to his appreciation and careful preservation of this album.
