元 佚名 倣趙孟頫 九歌圖 冊|Nine Songs

Art Historical Context

This exquisite album, titled *Nine Songs* (Jiǔ gē tú), is an anonymous Yuan (1271–1368) work from the 14th century, the refined style of the renowned artist Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322). Comprising eleven delicate ink paintings on paper, each leaf measures just 10⅜ × 6¼ inches (26.4 × 15.9 cm), making it a intimate treasure for scholarly contemplation. The series illustrates the ancient poetic cycle "Nine Songs" from the *Chu Ci* anthology, attributed to the Warring States poet Qu Yuan (ca. 340–278 BCE). These verses evoke shamanistic rituals and mythical encounters between mortals and deities, rendered here with elegant figures of men and women amid ethereal landscapes. Zhao Mengfu, a pivotal figure in literati painting (wenrenhua), blended Song dynasty orthodoxy with personal expressiveness, emphasizing brushwork, ink washes, and poetic allusion over mere realism. This imitation captures his hallmark lyricism—fluid lines, subtle tonalities, and harmonious compositions—reflecting Yuan-era nostalgia for China's classical past amid Mongol rule. Albums like this were prized by elites for private study, merging literature, music, and visual art in a multisensory experience. Acquired through the C.C. Wang Family Collection and Fletcher Fund in 1973, this Metropolitan Museum of Art gem highlights the enduring cultural reverence for Qu Yuan's shamanistic visions, bridging ancient Chu culture with Yuan aesthetics. A window into elite connoisseurship, it invites viewers to ponder the divine-human interplay through masterful ink.

About the Artist

Zhao Mengfu · 1254–1322

Chinese, 1254–1322