Court Lady after Qian Xuan’s Depiction
Date1994
MaterialsInk and colors on silk; ink on paper
DimensionsH. 29 1/8 in x W. 15 3/8 in, H. 74 cm x W. 39.1 cm (image); H. 58 1/2 in x W. 19 5/8 in, H. 148.6 cm x W. 49.8 cm (overall)
Credit LineGift of Wei Huang
Object number2015.65
ClassificationsPainting
SignedSignature: A Court Lady. Huang Jun copied the Qian Shunju at the Studio of Six Benefits Liuyi lou, Beijing, in the first month of the year jiaxu (1994).
Seal. Huang Jun黃均 in seal script; Huang Jun shuhua 黃均書畫 in seal script (Calligraphy and painting of Huang Jun).
InscribedThe calligraphic work on the upper scroll contains three paragraphs of calligraphic works in running script.
1. The calligraphy on the right is a four-line poem by Huang Jun, titled “For the Court Lady”, reading:
Trimming her nails, she was once identified as the Wild King, indeed an entertainer dressed in court attire. Incidents of the past awaken the imagination, as the painting still retains the fragrance of makeup.
Seal. Liuyi lou (六宜樓Studio of Six Benefits; Huang Jun’s studio) in seal script
2. Calligraphy in the middle. Huang Jun noted that the original work on silk by Qian Xuan was collected by a Japanese person named Ōhara Ryūrō (太原流郎)….The work was originally identified as Huanye King 桓野王 which, judging by her appearance, is impossible, so now it is simply A Court Lady. Fifteen years ago I merely copied the work in outline, adding color later. …as time goes by, things have gone up and down. It is amazing and so fortunate that this painting has survived….therefore, I composed a poem (calligraphy 1) for it, in Yanjing (Beijing), Lunar Festival in the year jiaxu (1994).
Added, Jun.
Seal. Huang Jun shuhua in seal script黃均書畫 (Calligraphy and painting of Huang Jun).
3. Calligraphy on the left. Hung Jun’s brief description of Qian Xuan: sobriquet Shunju; nickname Yutan, a native of Quxing. Qian Xuan passed the Jinshi degree during the reign of Jingding (1260–64), studied the landscapes of Zhao Lingxiang (Danian, act ive. 1060-1100); and the flower-and-birds of Zhao Chang (active. 1000-20).
Seal. Huang Jun
More InformationThis picture by Beijing-born professional artist Huang Jun revives a type of classical portraiture used to present female court attendants during the Tang dynasty (618–907). The liberal environment around the Tang court gave rise to women with power and freedom, in many circumstances equal to that of men, even replacing men in certain official roles. In the realm of fashion, women wore men’s clothes to join them in sports and entertainment.
The inspiration for Huang’s image was a depiction by the renowned Qian Xuan (b. approx. 1235), which was itself likely based on a Tang-dynasty work. In this painting the figure’s long robe, black hat with two hanging straps, and golden belt with elaborate repoussé emblements, designed to be a uniform for a male official, is worn by “a court lady but not a prince,” as noted by Huang Jun on the painting. Huang enhances her feminine appeal through gentle facial features, rose-hued makeup, and delicate hands. The lady carefully cleans her fingernails as if preparing to play the flute she carries in her belt.
