Gentlewomen
According to an inscription on one of the leaves, Hu Xigui painted this set of melancholy images of gentlewomen after classical models, although he does not reveal what those were. Some of the figures are famous from legend or history—the woman in the boat in leaf three is the main character of Bai Juyi’s famous poem “Song of the Lute”—but not all are identified by the artist. Some contemplate fading beauty, while others pine for missing lovers. Although these are well-worn tropes in premodern Chinese paintings of women, Hu’s sensitive brush imbues each figure with a sense of vitality and individual presence that distinguish his renditions.
Artwork Details
- 清 胡錫珪 仕女圖 冊
- Title: Gentlewomen
- Artist: Hu Xigui (Chinese, 1839–1883)
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
- Date: dated 1882
- Culture: China
- Medium: Album of twelve leaves; ink and color on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 9 7/16 × 12 3/16 in. (24 × 31 cm)
Album: 11 7/16 × 15 3/8 in. (29 × 39 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Jane DeBevoise and the Calello Family, 2024
- Object Number: 2024.549.13a–u
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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