Reminiscence of Jinling

Inscription: Artist’s inscription and signature (2 columns in standard script)

I happened to see Huang Huimu’s (Huang Zongyan 黃宗炎, 1616–1686) Reminiscence of Jinling, painted in the brush manner of Zhao Lingrang (active ca. 1070– after 1100). It may be taken as his masterpiece, so I created this copy of it. Wang Gai of Xiushui [near Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province] noted in addition [to the painting] in the early summer of the bingyin year (1686).[1]

偶見黃晦木倣趙令穰筆畫《金陵感舊圖》，可為生平傑作，余橅臨一過。丙寅麥秋秀水王槩并誌。


Artist’s seals

王概之印 Wang Gai zhi yin
安節 Anjie


Label strip

Unidentified artist, 1 column in standard script, undated:

王安節橅黃晦木《金陵感舊圖》真蹟


Colophon

He Yingfen 何應芬 (unidentified), 8 columns in standard script, dated renyin year; 2 seals:

Calligraphy and painting are my life-long passion, but I cannot afford to purchase them. I befriended Prefect Yunxi, a poet versed in painting, when I was in the capital. We met again when he came home to visit his parents years later. He showed me this scholarly painting by Wang Gai, which is even more precious because it was a copy of an earlier master’s work. (Summary)

余生平無所嗜好，獨於書畫一道最為心醉。時於友人齋頭見古人名蹟，則必審鑑撫玩，甚至寢食俱廢，徹夜忘倦。惜力薄不能羅而致之為己有，徒呼負負耳。曩在京師，與雲溪太守結為忘年友。雲溪，詩人也，詩人而能畫者也。敲詩讀畫殆無虛日，極一時流連之樂。嗣後雲溪出宰滇南，余以飢驅，又奔走四方，致疎音訊。今秋雲翁回里省親，復而暢聚，以王安節感舊圖出示，然此畫世多不見，才人筆墨迥異俗工，況又倣前人，更堪寶貴，喜而誌之，并系小詩：

一種名人筆，能令死不灰。應從兜率去，本自大羅來。
名蹟留天壤，幽情嗜古才。煙雲過眼易，玩賞日千囘。

壬寅嘉平之望何應芬跋。 [印]：芬印、傳世樓


Collectors’ seals

享之主人欣賞
顯菴審定印

[1] Translation from Department records.

Marking:

Christie's, Hong Kong , Christie's Hong Kong, Fine Classical Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy, November 1, 1999, lot 256; to Edlund; Matthew J. Edlund , Sarasota, Fla. (1999–2016; donated to MMA)

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. "Learning to Paint in Premodern China," February 18, 2023–January 7, 2024 on view February 18–July 16, 2023.