Tu
Chin was a native of Kiangsu. His style name was Chu-nan; his sobriquets
were Ch'eng-chu and Ku-k'uang. He often called himself Ch'ing-hsia
t'ing-ch'ang. At the beginning of the Ch'eng-hua period (1465-1487), he
took the examinations for the chin-shih degree, but failed. He was
well-versed in both poetry and belles-lettres as well as philology; and in
painting excelled at figures, architecture, birds and flowers.
This
painting depicts a gathering of scholars for the enjoyment of studying
antiquities. The brushwork is refined and firm, the colors elegant.
Especially fine is the calligraphy of the artist's signature.
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