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Zhao Zhen & Zhao Gou — Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion after Wang Xizhi

Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion after Wang Xizhi

This handscroll presents a calligraphic interpretation of the famous preface written by Wang Xizhi at the Orchid Pavilion gathering in 353 CE, one of the most revered texts in Chinese calligraphic tradition. Created by the imperial painters Zhao Zhen and Zhao Gou, the work combines ink on paper and silk to showcase masterful brushwork that captures both the literary significance and aesthetic beauty of Wang's original composition. The artists' rendering demonstrates the Song dynasty's deep engagement with calligraphic arts and the veneration of classical precedents that defined literati culture.

Medium
ink on paper and ink on silk, handscroll

🔨 Auction Lot

Power & Culture – Heirlooms from the Poon Family Collection – Emperor Renzong and Emperor Gaozong’s Preface to the Orchid Pavilion After Wang Xizhi

October 16, 2024

Lot 861

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About this work

Zhao Zhen & Zhao Gou, Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion after Wang Xizhi

This handscroll presents a calligraphic interpretation of the famous preface written by Wang Xizhi at the Orchid Pavilion gathering in 353 CE, one of the most revered texts in Chinese calligraphic tradition. Created by the imperial painters Zhao Zhen and Zhao Gou, the work combines ink on paper and silk to showcase masterful brushwork that captures both the literary significance and aesthetic beauty of Wang's original composition. The artists' rendering demonstrates the Song dynasty's deep engagement with calligraphic arts and the veneration of classical precedents that defined literati culture.

Medium
ink on paper and ink on silk, handscroll
Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

12th Century, Contemplative Mood, Classical Literature, Chinese Artist, Hanging Scroll, Song Dynasty, Cursive Script, Literati Art, Calligraphy and ink painting, Scholarly elegance