Landscape dedicated to Xiang Yuanbian

Inscription: Artist's inscriptions and signatures (18 columns in standard script and 4 columns in semi-cursive scripts)

A summer song in celebration of Mr. Xiang Zijing’s [Xiang Yuanbian, 1525‒1590] birthday.

[The celebratory poem, composed by Huangfu Fang (ca. 1500‒ca. 1584) and transcribed by Wen Jia, is not translated.]

During the first ten days of the last summer month of the wuyin year in the Wanli reign era (1578) Grand Master in the Bureau of Records and Surveillance Commissioner Huangfu Fang from Suzhou composed this piece with respect and Wen Jia transcribed it for Xiang Zijing.

朱明歌為子京項先生壽
季夏鶉火司朱明，堯蓂八莢弦初生。崧高峻極原挺秀，天目崔巍間產英。
南金東箭臻世美，文謨武烈蜚鴻聲。之子耽寂稱墨卿，年逾半百述作成。
右軍染翰窮其妙，常侍詩律探厥精。桑弧蓬矢懸高戶，瑤光珠彩流長庚。
追涼豈須往河朔，賜伏恍若逰蓬瀛。客為稱觴戒廚傳，臨池拂檻開賓讌。
臑熊臛豹竭旨甘，充圓溢方糅豐膳。主人恬澹薄滋味，爽口腐腸非作羡。
客迺逡巡進樂方，徵聲選伎登華堂。丹唇皓齒吐麗曲，纖腰垂手森舞行。
芳尊遞獻樂闋蘭，膏燭滅，夜未央，耳聾目盲老氏戒，主人不御休哉康。
濡毫搦管奏辭賦，滿堂觀者環堵聚。雄才或擬南山篇，大雅亦摛東海句。
主人覽之嗟繽紛，焚香虛左招司勳，余賡短歌聊頌君。
主人試聼音如何，枚生七發騷九歌。余遡其源揚其波，主人既醉顏為酡。

萬曆著雍攝提格夏杪上弦，賜進士天官司勳大夫敕僉觀察使事吳郡皇甫汸敬撰，文嘉為項子京書。

In the sixth year of the Wanli reign era (1578) Molin [Xiang Yuanbian] turns fifty-four. The eighth day of the sixth month is his birthday so I have written this as a present for him. [Signed] Maoyuan, Wen Jia

萬曆六年墨林壽登五十有四，六月八日其初度之辰也，因寫此為贈。茂苑文嘉


Artist’s seals

Xiucheng 休承
Zhaoxi yu yi jiaming 肇錫余以嘉名
Wen Jia Xiucheng 文嘉休承


Collectors' seals

Xiang Yuanbian項元汴 (1525‒1590)
Ji’ao 寄敖
Molin miwan 墨林祕玩
Zisun yongbao 子孫永保
Zijing suocang 子京所藏
Xiangshuzi 項叔子
Zisun shichang 子孫世昌
Tuimi 退密
Tianlai Ge 天籟閣
Zijing fu yin 子京父印
Xiang Molin fu miji zhi yin 項墨林父祕笈之印
Zuili 檇李
Xiang Zijing jia zhencang 項子京家珍藏
Molin fu 墨林父
Xiang Yuanbian yin 項元汴印
Xiang Molin jianshang zhang 項墨林鑒賞章

Zhang Baoshan張寳善 (1856‒1926)
Dingfu shending 定甫審定

Unidentified
Duoling shending 多齡審定

[ David L. Elliott , West Palm Beach, FL, 1981; sold to MMA]

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. "Late Wu School Painting and Calligraphy," September 14, 1984–October 28, 1984.

Fort Worth. Kimbell Art Museum. "Late Wu School Painting and Calligraphy," December 2, 1984–January 27, 1985.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "A Millennium of Chinese Painting: Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection," September 8, 2001–January 13, 2002.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Douglas Dillon Legacy: Chinese Painting for the Metropolitan Museum," March 12–August 8, 2004.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Journeys: Mapping the Earth and Mind in Chinese Art," February 10–August 26, 2007.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of the Ming Dynasty: China's Age of Brilliance," January 23–September 13, 2009.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Chinese Gardens: Pavilions, Studios, Retreats," August 18, 2012–January 6, 2013.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Streams and Mountains without End: Landscape Traditions of China," August 26, 2017–January 6, 2019.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Companions in Solitude: Reclusion and Communion in Chinese Art," July 31, 2021–August 14, 2022.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Learning to Paint in Premodern China," February 18, 2023–January 7, 2024.