Artwork Details
24-1/8 x 13-1/2 in. (image) 73-1/4 x 18-3/8 in. (mount) 21-3/4 in. (installation width)
DynastySigned: Baishi laoren
Accession NumberGift of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Alsdorf
CopyrightAsian Art (Chinese and other Asian)
Color PaletteMr. and Mrs. James W. Alsdorf, Chicago, Illinois; given to the John Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana, now the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, in 1964.
櫻桃
Quickly brushed without outlines, the cherries still look juicy and delicious. Piled so high as to fall from the bowl, they suggest bountiful abundance.
Born to a peasant family in Xiangtan, Hunan, Qí Báishí was apprenticed to a carpenter because he was too sickly to work in the fields. He later taught himself calligraphy, poetry, and painting. He is best known for his whimsical style and common subjects, focusing on smaller things rather than landscapes. Fish, shrimp, crabs, insects, and peaches were among his favorite subjects.
The inscription reads: “Old man Báishí made this painting for entertainment in 1948 when 88 years old.” He calculated his age using a traditional Asian system.
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