Song of the Red Cliff
Artist
Korean
Date18th century
Mediumcalligraphy mounted on a six-panel folding screen
Dimensions139.5 x 322.3 cm (54 15/16 x 126 7/8 in.)
Overall1: 88.6 x 40.9 cm (34 7/8 x 16 1/8 in.)
Overall1: 88.6 x 40.9 cm (34 7/8 x 16 1/8 in.)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineGift of John L. Rossetti, Jr.
Object number1991.181
Label TextThe eighteenth century was a period of renaissance in the arts and the humanities, despite adverse social and political conditions in Korea. Influenced by Chinese culture from ancient times, Korea became a vassal state of the Chinese Qing dynasty in 1673 and remained so until the end of the nineteenth century. Korean scholar-officials were Confucian scholars for whom, calligraphy and Chinese literati culture defined the cultivated man. Although the Korean alphabet was created in the fifteenth century, the scholar-official class retained the use of written Chinese until the beginning of the twentieth century.
Written in Chinese, in an unusually bold manner with strongly individualize rhythms characteristic of the best Korean calligraphy of the period, this work refers to the famous poem Song of the Red Cliff by the Chinese Song dynasty poet Su Shi (1036-1101). Better known as Su Dongpo, Su Shi was the archetypical literatus--poet, prose writer, painter and calligrapher. His poems and essays on the scenic Red Cliff in Hangzhou have inspired painters and calligraphers throughout the East Asian Chinese cultural sphere. In addition to scenic description and seasonal references, the poet includes his views on the transiency of life and his subjective response to the place.ProvenanceJohn L. Rossetti, Jr., 692 Grove Street, Worcester, MA 01605On View
Not on view
