Fish
Artist/Culture
late Sung Dynasty
(960-1280)
Artist/Culture
Chinese
Date960–1280
Mediumpainting on silk
Dimensions29.5 x 213.4 cm (11 5/8 x 84 in.)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1937.10
Label TextFISH IN A STREAM
Yang Buzhi (Chinese, 1098-1167)
Song Dynasty (960-1280)
Handscroll, ink and light color on silk
Museum purchase, 1937.10
The artist Yang Buzhi, from Nanchang in Jiangxi Province, was a famous official and scholar. Although he was summoned to the imperial court he preferred to live the life of a scholar-recluse and often called himself "Pure and Quiet Old Fellow" and "Retired Old Chan Buddhist." Yang Buzhi specialized in calligraphy and in painting plum blossoms, bamboo, narcissus, pine trees, rocks and human figures in what is considered a clear and pure style.
This is a rare masterpiece since there remain very few signed and sealed paintings works by Yang Buzhi. Like Fish Swimming and Falling Flowers (dated 1120) by Liu Cai in the St. Louis Art Museum, this painting has a composition with a beginning, middle and an end. In both works fish such as carp, minnows and catfish are seen rhythmically darting, drifting and mingling midst water grasses. A big carp lends drama to the scene by swimming in an upright position, as if preparing to leap. The fish are very naturalistically drawn with fine ink lines and washes.
The inscription at the end of the scroll refers to an account of the fourth-century Daoist Zhuangzi who perceived "the pleasures of fish." The story is that when arriving at the Hao River, Zhuangzi said to Huizi, his Confucian friend and rival: "Look how the minnows come out and dart around where they please. That's what fish really enjoy!!" "You are not a fish," answered Huizi. "How do you know what fish enjoy?" Whereupon Zhuangzi replied, "You're not me so how do you know that I do not know what fish enjoy?" Huizi then responded, "I'm not you, so I certainly don't know what you know. On the other hand, you're certainly not a fish ? so that still proves you don't know what fish enjoy!" Chuang Tzu concluded saying, "Let's go back to your original question. You asked me how I know what fish enjoy ? so you already knew, I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the Hao River."ProvenanceA.W. Bahr, London EnglandOn View
Not on view
Natsume Seibi
late 18th century - early 19th century