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Man, Buffalo, and Calf
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Here, a herdboy tending a cow with a calf is sitting beneath a tree with his pet myna bird. The painting can be read as a pastoral scene. As the water buffalo helped plow the fields, it was perceived as an animal that endures hard work without gain for itself, often interpreted as a metaphor for the official.<br> <br>Ox-herding pictures, presented as gifts in court circles, were used for their moral and political rhetoric. <em>The Yijing</em> (Book of Changes) states, <em>The Receptive is the earth, the mother . . . it is a cow with a calf . . . the multitude [in relation to the ruler]</em>.
| Artist / Maker | Li You |
|---|---|
| Date | 1145 |
| Culture / Origin | China, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) |
| Medium | album leaf; ink and color on silk |
| Dimensions | Image: 25 x 26.7 cm (9 13/16 x 10 1/2 in.); with mat: 33.3 x 40.5 cm (13 1/8 x 15 15/16 in.) |
| Department | Chinese Art |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
Li You (Chinese, active c. 1145) 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.
Shipping & Collection
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