Inscription: Artist’s inscription
Inscribed with a cipher.
Artist’s seals
Yushu 御書
Xuanhe 宣和
Colophons
1. Zhao Mengfu 趙孟頫 (1254–1322), 6 columns in semi-cursive/standard script, undated; 1 seal:
The prince of the Dao was gifted and wise by nature. In the art of painting he attained the ultimate in subtlety. With an ability almost beyond anything human, he could depict the essential character of plants and animals so that they were as though created by nature. In this scroll he has not labored much with ink and colors, yet all is spontaneous and right. It is proper that generations have treasured it. What good fortune for these insignificant birds to have been painted by this sage. Mengfu wrote this colophon with respect.[1]
道君聰明天縱，其於繪事尤極神妙。動植之物無不曲盡其性，殆若天地生成，非人力所能及。此卷不用描墨，粉彩自然，宜為世寶。然蕞尔小禽，蒙聖人所錄，抑何幸耶。孟頫恭跋。 [印]： 趙氏子昂
2. Huang Zhong 黃中 (died 1377), 5 columns in semi-cursive/standard script, undated:
玉几橫箋寫小禽，珍藏世永價千金。
要知微物霑光渥，披卷深詳孟頫吟。
西淮武夫黃中
3. Xiang Yuanbian 項元汴 (1525–1590), 6 columns in standard script, undated; 3 seals:
徽宗萬機之暇，雅好書畫，興學校藝如取士法。丹青卷軸真天縱之妙，有晉唐逸韻。尤善墨花，叢密處微露白道，自家成趣，不履襲古人軌轍。極注思花鳥點睛，每用黑漆，隱然豆許，高出缣素間，幾欲飛動。畫中押字天水及宣和、政和小璽，或用瓢印，蟲魚篆文。汴也重購得此 《竹禽圖》，轉玩不忍釋手，為其有生氣。惜乎不喻致中和參兩化育，惟以微技遊戲，卒歸北狩，哀哉。後之覽者亦將有感於斯。明墨林山人項元汴謹題。[印]： 項元汴印、子京父印、項墨林父秘笈之印
4. Song Luo 宋犖(1634–1713), 3 columns in semi-cursive script, dated 1702; 1 seal:
春風艮嶽罷朝時，蕞爾微禽費睿思。
腸斷燕山亭畔子，杏花新燕又題詞。
康熙壬午初夏六十九翁宋犖題。[印]： 臣犖
5. Zhang Daqian 張大千 (1899–1983), 3 columns in semi-cursive script, dated 1954; 2 seals:
甲午十一月廿一日將自東京還三巴之摩詰城前一夕得此。蜀郡張爰大千父 [印]： 張爰、大千居士
6. Xiang Yuanbian 項元汴 (1525–1590), 1 column in standard script, undated; 2 seals:
宋徽宗宸翰 《竹禽圖》，元趙孟頫行書題識。明項元汴真賞。五十金 [印]： 項元汴印、墨林秘玩
Collectors’ seals
Song emperor Gaozong 宋高宗 (r. 1127–1162)
Shaoxing 紹興
Zhao Mengfu 趙孟頫 (1254–1322)
Zhao 趙
Songxue Zhai 松雪齋
Zhao Mengfu yin 趙孟頫印
Zhu Gang 朱棡 (1358–1398)
Jin fu shuhua zhi yin 晉府書畫之印
Jingde Tang zhang 敬德堂章
Jin fu tushu 晉府圖書
Jin fu tushu zhi ji 晉府圖書之記
Qinghe zhenwan 清和珍玩
Qinghe 清和
Xiang Yuanbian 項元汴 (1525–1590)
Pingsheng zhenshang 平生真賞
Zisun shi chang 子孫世昌
Molin miwan 墨林秘玩
Xiang Yuanbian yin 項元汴印
Xiang Zijing jia zhencang 項子京家珍藏
Xiang Yuanbian shi shending zhenji 項元汴氏審定真跡
Shenpin 神品
Zuili Xiang shi shijia baowan 檇李項氏世家寳玩
Xiang Yuanbian yin 項元汴印
Qu Lu 蘧廬
Zijing fu yin 子京父印
Xiang shuzi 項叔子
Tianlai Ge 天籟閣
Xiang Molin jianshang zhang 項墨林鑑賞章
Shenyou xinshang 神遊心賞
Tuimi 退密
Xiang Molin fu miji zhi yin 項墨林父秘笈之印
Taohuayuan li renjia 桃花源裏人家
Ji ao 寄傲
Xiang Molin jianshang fashu minghua 項墨林鑑賞法書名畫
Song Luo 宋犖 (1634–1713)
Song Luo shending 宋犖審定
Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 (1640–1686)
Yi er zisun 宜爾子孫
Xu Weiqin 許維嶔 (juren 1699)
Xu Weiqin yin 許維嶔印
Zhang Zhiwan 張之萬 (1811–1897)
Nanpi Zhang shi shoucang shuhua yin 南皮張氏收藏書畫印
Zhang Zhiwan shending yin 張之萬審定印
Zhang Zhiwan zhencang yin 張之萬珍藏印
Zhiwan shending 之萬審定
Nanpi Zhang shi cangshu 南皮張氏藏書
Zhang Daqian 張大千 (1899–1983)
Dafeng Tang zhencang yin 大風堂珍藏印
Jichou yihou suode 己丑以後所得
Bieshi rongyi 別時容易
Zhang Yuan 張爰
Diguo zhi fu 敵國之富
Qiu tu bao gurou qing 球圖寳骨肉情
Nanbeidongxi zhiyou xiangsui wu bieli 南北東西只有相隨無別離
Shu jun Zhang Yuan 蜀郡張爰
Daqian Jushi 大千居士
Dafeng Tang 大風堂
Daqian xi 大千鉨
Dafeng Tang gongyang 大風堂供養
Zhang Yuan zhi yinxin 張爰之印信
Zhang Yuan yin 張爰印
Daqian 大千
Zhang Bojun 張伯駿 (20th c.)
Bojun 伯駿
Zhang Bojun Fanwo shi qingwan shuhua zhi yin 張伯駿範我氏清玩書畫之印
Gu Luofu 顧洛阜 (John M. Crawford Jr., 1913–1988)
Hanguang Ge zhu Gu Luofu jiancang Zhongguo gudai shuhua zhi zhang 漢光閣主顧洛阜鋻藏中國古代書畫之章
Unidentified
Xiashan Lou cang shuhua ji 夏山樓藏書畫記
Weixiao Caotang hua ji 緯蕭草堂畫記
Guansheng Tang tushu ji 觀生堂圖書記
Zhang zi Zhi An miji zhi yin 張子止菴秘笈之印
Yantian Zhang Xingjin jia zhencang 硯田張行津家珍藏
Yantian Zhang shi zhencang 硯田張氏珍藏
Yantian shending 硯田審定
Deshou 德壽
Deshou siyin 德壽私印
Wushan shending 午山審定
Ding 定
Zizisunsun qi yongbao zhi 子子孫孫其永寶之
Yi yi yongchang 貽翼永昌
Zhenmi 珍秘
Xishi zhi bao 希世之寶
Zisun baozhi 子孫寶之
[1] Translation by Shujiro Shimada from Department records.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Peach Blossom Spring," November 21, 1983–June 3, 1984.
Zurich. Museum Rietberg. "The Mandate of Heaven: Emperors and Artists in China," April 2, 1996–July 7, 1996.
Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. "The Mandate of Heaven: Emperors and Artists in China," August 3, 1996–November 10, 1996.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The New Chinese Galleries: An Inaugural Installation," 1997.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Text and Image: The Interaction of Painting, Poetry, and Calligraphy," January 23, 1999–August 16, 1999.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Cultivated Landscapes: Reflections of Nature in Chinese Painting with Selections from the Collection of Marie-Hélène and Guy Weill," September 10, 2002–February 9, 2003.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Great Waves: Chinese Themes in the Arts of Korea and Japan I," March 1, 2003–September 21, 2003.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Chinese Painting, Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection," August 28, 2004–February 20, 2005.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Anatomy of a Masterpiece: How to Read Chinese Paintings," March 1, 2008–August 10, 2008.
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. "Masterpieces of Chinese Painting from the Metropolitan Collection II," May 7, 2016–October 11, 2016.
