Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Partial copy of an inscription on an oracle bone from the Shang dynasty

Calligrapher Wen C. Fong
1945
Not on view
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
Wen Fong wrote this piece of calligraphy when he was just fifteen years old. Following the training of his teacher, Li Jian, Fong copied ancient models. This inscription is from an oracle bone, one of many artifacts which were records of royal divination ceremonies scratched onto animal bones and turtle shells during the Shang dynasty (ca. 1500–1046 BCE). Fong’s signature closely follows the format and style of examples by Li on view in this gallery.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 現代 方聞 節臨甲骨文銘文 軸
  • Title: Partial copy of an inscription on an oracle bone from the Shang dynasty
  • Calligrapher: Wen C. Fong (1930–2018)
  • Period: Republic period (1912–49)
  • Date: 1945
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Framed hanging scroll; ink on paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 36 15/16 × 10 5/8 in. (93.8 × 27 cm)
    Framed: 43 × 15 1/8 in. (109.2 × 38.4 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Lent by Constance and Wen Fong Collection
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.