Poem on boating on the Qinhuai River
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.This poem by the Anhui-based artist Mei Qing relates the joys of an evening spent boating with a friend on the Qinhuai River in Nanjing. Mei’s delight in the city’s vibrant night life is reflected in the final line: “The flute music is hard to resist when intoxicated.” Like many Anhui artists, Mei made regular trips to Nanjing to meet other artists, shop for books, and sit for official examinations. An evening (or several) in the Qinhuai pleasure district was considered an essential part of any trip to the big city.
Artwork Details
- 清 梅清 行書秦淮舟泛詩 軸
- Title: Poem on boating on the Qinhuai River
- Calligrapher: Mei Qing (Chinese, 1623–1697)
- Date: Undated
- Culture: China
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 64 3/4 × 18 1/8 in. (164.5 × 46 cm)
Overall with mounting: 8 ft. 6 in. × 25 1/8 in. (259.1 × 63.8 cm)
Overall with knobs: 8 ft. 6 in. × 28 1/4 in. (259.1 × 71.8 cm) - Classification: Calligraphy
- Credit Line: Lent by Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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