Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Eight Poems on Autumn Moods
Calligrapher Wang Duo Chinese
Not on view
明 王鐸 行書秋興八首 卷
The original “Eight Poems on Autumn Moods,” by Du Fu (712–770), is a meditation on seasonal melancholy and expresses concerns over China’s fate during a time of national peril. Wang Duo too lived in a time of turmoil, and he was inspired by Du Fu to create his own set of “Autumn Moods.” Wang’s insertion of explanatory comments between the poems in much smaller characters not only creates a visual demarcation but also a sense of intimacy, as though he is whispering secrets to the viewer. Wang’s rejection of classical elegance is evident throughout this scroll, in his habit of letting the brush dry out almost completely before reloading it; in his abrupt, angular turns at the end of characters; and in his irregular character sizing and lineation.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
