Herald of the Spring Breeze

Inscription: Artist’s inscription and signature (1 column in seal script followed by 3 columns in semi-cursive script)

Herald of the Spring Breeze

Elegant plum painting was commonly appreciated during the Qianlong period (1735–1796), but Dongxin’s [Jin Nong, 1687–1763] red plum is my favorite. Gao Xitang [Gao Xiang, first half of the 18th century] and Chaolin [Wang Shishen, ?–1759] are not worthy of study. Dedicated to Junying on an auspicious day at the beginning of the jisi year (1929). [Signed] Xi

[Translation by Keita Itoh and Lawrence Wu with Jean Schmitt and Caron Smith in Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, ed., Later Chinese Painting and Calligraphy: 1800–1950, Volume I: Text, New York: Random House, 1986, p. 125. Modified. The Romanization of Chinese characters has been changed from the Wade-Giles system to the pinyin system.]

管領春風

乾隆時畫梅世皆雅，冬心先生然畫朱梅，予獨愛。高西塘、巢林不足取也。寫頌俊英賢弟。己巳開歲之吉，熙。


Artist’s seals

Zeng Xi zhi yin 曾熙之印
Nongran 農髯
Ming zai Jiangnan Xu Heyang Guo Qiantang Dai hou 名在江南徐河陽郭錢塘戴後


Collector’s seals

An Siyuan 安思遠 (Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, 1929–2014)
Shuimo Shanzhaung 水磨山莊
An Siyuan cang 安思遠藏

Robert H. Ellsworth Chinese, New York (until 1986; donated to MMA)

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Painting: Selections from the Robert H. Ellsworth Collection," February 2–September 25, 1988.