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Flowering Crab Apple
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Shen Zhou painted a broken branch (<em>zhezhi</em> 折枝) of crab apple, a fragment of nature rather than the full plant in its natural context. Shen uses calligraphic outlines in pure ink to depict the flower petals. The swift yet precise brushstrokes together with the slight S-shaped branch convey vitality. <br><br>The inscription is a poem written by the artist, commenting on the lovely color and melancholic aura of the crab apple blossom. Shen Zhou is the founder of the Wu School, a group of scholars and officials active around Suzhou in eastern China, known for practicing painting and calligraphy in a refined and elegant style.
| Artist / Maker | Shen Zhou |
|---|---|
| Date | 1500 |
| Culture / Origin | China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) |
| Medium | hanging scroll; ink on paper |
| Dimensions | Painting: 87 x 28.5 cm (34 1/4 x 11 1/4 in.); Overall with knobs: 238.5 x 52.5 cm (93 7/8 x 20 11/16 in.) |
| Department | Chinese Art |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
Shen Zhou (Chinese, 1427–1509) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
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