What movement is The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat]?

The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat] is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat]

The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat] is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Fang Shishu. It dates from 1743 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

You see a long handscroll filled with scholars in silk robes, sipping tea under pine trees while servants carry scrolls and ink stones.

You see a long handscroll filled with scholars in silk robes, sipping tea under pine trees while servants carry scrolls and ink stones.

This painting marks a real party in 1743, thrown by two rich brothers in Yangzhou. The brothers paid for flood relief, so the emperor sent them a thank-you letter—you can spot it rolled up on the table.

Look up more paintings of china, qing dynasty (1644-1911) to see how artists showed these garden parties.

Overview

The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing'an [Temporary Retreat] is a handscroll painting depicting a gathering of scholars and officials in a private garden in Yangzhou.

Subject & Meaning

The painting commemorates a 1743 literary gathering hosted by Ma Yueguan and Ma Yuelu, salt merchants and art patrons, in their garden. The guests, a diverse group including officials, scholars, poets, and merchants, engage in cultural activities.

Technique & Style

The handscroll format allows for a detailed and intimate portrayal of the gathering, with figures dressed in silk robes amidst a serene garden setting, featuring pine trees and servants carrying art supplies.

History & Provenance

The painting is linked to the Ma brothers' receipt of imperial recognition for their flood relief efforts, with the emperor's thank-you letter visible on the table, highlighting their social standing and cultural influence in 18th-century Yangzhou.