Shen Chou, Ming dynasty

Original: Hanging-scroll, Ink and light colour on paper, 84.8cm X 21.8cm

Signed and entitled by the painter dated 15th of 7th month, 1492. Two personal seals

Collector's seals: five Ch'ien-lung chien-ts'ang seals

Shen Chou (1427-1509) came from Ch'ang-chou in Kiangsu. He was the son of Shen Heng. His style-name was Ch'i-nan, his sobriquets Shih-t'ien and Pai-shih weng. He was an excellent poet as well as a painter and calligrapher. As a boy he received instruction in landscape painting from his father and uncle, but later turned to the masters of the Sung and Yuan dynasty, especially Tung Yuan, Chu Jan, Li Ch'eng, Huang Kung-wang, and Wu Chen. His paintings of flowers, animals, and fishes were all considered to be of the 'divine' category. Before the age of 40 his paintings tend to be of small, abbreviated landscapes; after this age he essayed larger-scale pictures, painting with robust, untrammeled strokes, though expressing a spirit that was full, at ease, and lively. Shen Chou was considered one of the Four Great Masters of the Ming.