Artwork
Cleansing Medicinal Herbs in the Stream on a Spring Day
Cleansing Medicinal Herbs in the Stream on a Spring Day is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Yu Zhiding. It dates from 1703 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Yu Zhiding painted this in 1703, blending portrait and landscape in a way that tells a quiet story about health and nature.
You see a long scroll with a man sitting in a bamboo grove while servants wash herbs in a stream.
This painting is actually a portrait of Shi Shenyi, a sickly official who loved medicine. The herbs and fresh water aren’t just scenery—they show his interest in healing. Yu Zhiding painted this in 1703, blending portrait and landscape in a way that tells a quiet story about health and nature.
To see more works like this, look up china, qing dynasty (1644-1911).
Overview
Cleansing Medicinal Herbs in the Stream on a Spring Day is a painting by Yu Zhiding, created in 1703. It is a horizontal scroll that combines elements of portraiture and landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The painting is a portrait of Shi Shenyi, an official and poet who was known for his interest in medicine. The scene depicts Shi in a bamboo grove surrounded by servants tending to medicinal herbs, symbolizing his love for healing and possibly wishing for his recovery.
Technique & Style
The work blends portrait and landscape painting, using natural imagery to convey the subject's character and interests. The artist incorporates symbolic elements, such as the fungus and spring flowers, to add layers of meaning.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1703 by Yu Zhiding, a renowned portraitist of the Qing dynasty. It reflects the artistic and cultural values of the period, particularly the integration of personal and symbolic themes in portraiture.
Context
The work is characteristic of Qing dynasty art, which often featured traditional Chinese themes and techniques. It is associated with the cultural and artistic trends of the time, including the use of landscape elements in portrait painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Yu Zhiding (Yü Chih-ting, traditional: 禹之鼎, simplified: 禹之鼎); ca. (1647–1709) was a Chinese painter during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). Yu was a native of Jiangdu (present-day Yangzhou) in Jiangsu province. His style…
