Wen Boren, Bamboos, tree and rock

This fan is signed "Wu Feng", "Five peaks", nickname of the painter Wen Boren.

The association of a tree, a rock and bamboo is an iconography that has become classic since the Song period (960-1279). Nevertheless, Wen Boren insists here on the median vertical that constitutes the trunk, in order to adapt this subject to the format of the fan.
Some styling features, such as rendering in feibai 飛白 of the rock or the bill of bamboo are reminiscent of paintings from the Yuan period (1279-1368), in particular by Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322). Moreover, the rendering of the foliage of the tree in the background evokes the style of Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), the artist's uncle. Wen Boren is indeed the heir to a family pictorial tradition. With Wen Peng (1498-1573) and Wen Jia (1501-1583), the sons of Wen Zhengming, he largely contributed to the transmission of his uncle's style and to the influence of the famous Wu school (Suzhou).

Cartel:

Wen Boren (1502-1575)
Bamboos, tree and rock
Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
Ink on paper
H.14,5 x W.45 cm
CM 2006-74

Gift of the Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum, 2006

Photo credit :

 © Paris Museums / Cernuschi Museum