Travelers Among Mountains and Streams
By Fan Kuan, Song Dynasty
Hanging scroll
ink and light colors on silk
Fan Kuan's Travelers Among Mountains and Streams, nearly seven feet tall, focuses on a central majestic mountain. The foreground, presented at eye level, is executed in crisp, well-defined brush strokes. Jutting boulders, tough scrub trees, a mule train on the road, and a temple in the forest on the cliff are all vividly depicted. The painting is among the most famous of all Chinese paintings, and the best example of the Northern Song "monumental" landscape style.
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Jade Cabbage
Qing Dynasty
18.7cm long, 9.1cm wide and 5.07cm thick
In the 19th century, the empresses and concubines of the Qing court appreciated kingfisher jadeite, so it was sought and carved on a large scale. The jade piece was the dowry of the Emperor Guangxu's concubine Jinfei. A piece of jade was carved into the shape of a head of cabbage, with two insects attached. The white cabbage symbolized the purity of the bride, while the insects were associated with reproducing many children.
In carving jade, artisans often adopted the natural features of the original material in order to attain the greatest effect with the minimum effort, which was especially important for such a tough mineral. The green part of the jadeite, for example, represents the leafy part, while the white part is for the stem. The two katydids are also green and crawl over the leaves, making them difficult to find. The beauty and skill makes this one of the most admired jade works in the Museum collection.
Dragon-shaped Pendant (Pair)
Warring States (475-221BC)
20.5cm long, 7.8cm wide, and 0.75cm thick
This pair of pendants is carved from a dark green jade speckled with gray and black. They are covered by a thin layer of ashen spots and carved into the impressive semblance of large coiling dragons. Despite their considerable size, they can be hung in perfect balance from a silk cord. The designs on the obverse and reverse sides are identical, with the curled snout and mane extending to the front and back, respectively.
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