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Chinese Painting: Vessels Depicted in Paintings

  • Image of "Four Elegant Pastimes (detail), Attributed to Ren Renfa, Yuan dynasty, 14th century"

    Four Elegant Pastimes (detail), Attributed to Ren Renfa, Yuan dynasty, 14th century

    Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 8
    June 30, 2015 (Tue) - August 2, 2015 (Sun)

    There are many paintings in which an individual is shown with finely-depicted bronzes, ceramics, or other vessels. But why are such vessels included in these paintings?

    Actually, they are meant to reflect the character and inner nature of that individual. For example, someone with elegant bronze vessels spotted with bluish rust is a scholar who has comprehended the realm of ancient sage-kings. Likewise, tasteful writing utensils and ceramics denote a highly-cultured scholar with a refined aesthetic sense. Vessels depicted in paintings are therefore not accurate representations of reality, but rather an important way of expressing ideas.

    This thematic exhibition features both paintings and actual vessels. We invite visitors to consider the meaning of vessels depicted in these paintings, the connection between actual vessels and their depictions, as well as the intentions of the painters.
     

 Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
 Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Antique Store (Copy), Artist unknown; original attributed Liu Songnian, Edo period, 19th century
Four Elegant Pastimes, Attributed to Ren Renfa, Yuan dynasty, 14th century
Bowl with Foliate Rim, Black lacquer, Northern Song-Southern Song dynasty, 11th-12th century (Gift of Mr. Tajima Mitsuru)
Ewer, Three-color glaze with incised dragon, Jingdezhen ware, China, Ming dynasty, 16th century
Ewer, Bird and flower design in overglaze enamel, Jingdezhen ware, China, Qing dynasty, 18th century (Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige)
Meeting of Intellectuals, Attributed to Sheng Mao, Yuan dynasty, 14th century (Private collection)
Exhibitions