明 倪元璐 行書七言詩 扇頁|Poem in Seven-Syllable Meter

Art Historical Context

Behold this exquisite example of Ming dynasty calligraphy: *Poem in Seven-Sable Meter* by Ni Yuanlu, rendered in flowing running script (xingshu) on a folding fan leaf remounted as an album page. Crafted with ink on shimmering gold paper, the work measures a compact 6⅝ × 18 inches, perfect for appreciation. Dating to the Ming period (1368–1644), it exemplifies the era's reverence for literati arts, where scholars like Ni blended poetry and brushwork to express elegance and erudition. Running script, with its rhythmic, semi-cursive strokes, bridges the structured precision of standard script and the freedom of cursive, allowing Ni's seven-syllable verse to dance across the surface. This poetic form, rooted in classical Chinese tradition, often evoked nature, emotion, or moral reflection—hallmarks of Ming intellectual life amid political turbulence. The gold paper ground enhances the ink's vibrancy, a luxurious choice underscoring the piece's status as a connoisseur's treasure. Originally a folding fan, this artwork highlights a cherished Chinese format for portable, personal expression, later preserved as an album leaf for safekeeping. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, thanks to the bequest of John M. Crawford Jr. in 1988, it invites us to savor the Ming mastery of form, feeling, and finesse.

About the Artist

Ni Yuanlu · 1593–1644

Chinese, 1593–1644