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長江萬里圖 (王翬)
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Ten Thousand Miles along the Yangzi River
長江萬里圖 (王翬)
Wang Hui (Chinese, 1632–1717)
Chinese
Qing dynasty
1699
Medium/Technique
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 41.2 cm (16 1/4 in.)
Image: 40.3 x 1617.8 cm (15 7/8 x 636 15/16 in.)
Mount (division silk after image): 15 cm (5 7/8 in.)
Other (postscript): 101 cm (39 3/4 in.)
Lender Accessory (a wooden box): 53.3 x 12.1 x 10.8 cm (21 x 4 3/4 x 4 1/4 in.)
Image: 40.3 x 1617.8 cm (15 7/8 x 636 15/16 in.)
Mount (division silk after image): 15 cm (5 7/8 in.)
Other (postscript): 101 cm (39 3/4 in.)
Lender Accessory (a wooden box): 53.3 x 12.1 x 10.8 cm (21 x 4 3/4 x 4 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Wan-go H. C. Weng Collection and the Weng family, in honor of Weng Tonghe
Accession Number2018.2106
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAsia
ClassificationsPaintings
Wang Hui, born in Changshu, was the leader of the regional artistic circle and historically considered one of the Six Masters of the Early Qing dynasty. Because of his extraordinary painting skills, Wang Hui was invited by the emperor Kangxi to join the imperial atelier and lead a monumental painting project for the emperor. Wang Hui created this extraordinarily long scroll painting—more than fifty-three feet in length—in 1699 just after fulfilling his service to the emperor. Traveling by boat from the capital of Beijing back to his hometown., he was able to leisurely enjoy the scenery along the way. After returning home, Wang Hui spent seven months completing this handscroll representing an imaginary transcontinental journey along China’s longest river, the Yangzi. The painting starts in Changshu and ends in Sichuan in the interior.
Catalogue Raisonné
16
Marks
Artist’s seals:
Wang Hui zhi yin 王翚之印 (square, intaglio)
Shigu 石谷 (square, intaglio)
Wang Hui zhi yin 王翚之印 (square, intaglio)
Shigu 石谷 (square, intaglio)
InscriptionsArtist’s inscription and signature (6 columns in standard script, dated 1699)
曩客金陵，過周司農讀畫樓，見燕文貴《長江卷》，皴染精細，結構縝密，為海內第一墨寶。摩挲把玩，神遊于空明萬裏間。三十年來，南帆北轍，奔走不遑，每一念及，為之心醉。戊寅秋，自長安南返篷窓多暇，追擬其意，而樹石峰巒，參以巨然叔明兩家法。江村景物，逐旋塡劄，幾於筆寫盡，致及抵家，凡七閱月而成，頗覺指腕間風規猶在，但年邁學荒，不足富賞音者臥遊之一助也。
康熙歲次己卯。九月上浣。海虞耕煙散人王翚識
When I was staying over in Jinling [Nanjing], I visited Revenue Official Zhou’s [Zhou Lianggong 周亮工, 1612-1672] Hall for Studying Paintings and saw the “Yangzi River Scroll” by Yan Wengui (967-1044). The texture strokes and washes were exquisitely applied while the composition was intricately arranged—it was the best painting in the world. As I unrolled the scroll, my spirit wandered through thousands of miles of vastness. Over the past thirty years I traveled north and south without much rest. But, whenever this work came to mind, I felt intoxicated. In the fall of the wuyin [1698] year, I was returning South [by boat] from Chang’an [i.e., the capital, Beijing] and had time at my disposal while on board. I decided to recapture the idea of this painting while using the styles of Juran 巨然 (act. tenth century) and Shuming (Wang Meng 王蒙, 1308-1385) here and there for the trees, rocks, and mountains. I gradually depicted the scenes of towns along the river and had practically completed the sketch. After arriving home, I took seven months to complete [this painting]. I feel that the original style and structure have been preserved by my hand. However, age has overtaken me and my skills have gone to seed, so it [this painting] is not fit to aide a true appreciator to vicariously travel through a landscape. The jimao year [1699] of the reign of Kangxi, on one of the first ten days of the ninth month, Gengyan Sanren Wang Hui from Haiyu inscribed this.
曩客金陵，過周司農讀畫樓，見燕文貴《長江卷》，皴染精細，結構縝密，為海內第一墨寶。摩挲把玩，神遊于空明萬裏間。三十年來，南帆北轍，奔走不遑，每一念及，為之心醉。戊寅秋，自長安南返篷窓多暇，追擬其意，而樹石峰巒，參以巨然叔明兩家法。江村景物，逐旋塡劄，幾於筆寫盡，致及抵家，凡七閱月而成，頗覺指腕間風規猶在，但年邁學荒，不足富賞音者臥遊之一助也。
康熙歲次己卯。九月上浣。海虞耕煙散人王翚識
When I was staying over in Jinling [Nanjing], I visited Revenue Official Zhou’s [Zhou Lianggong 周亮工, 1612-1672] Hall for Studying Paintings and saw the “Yangzi River Scroll” by Yan Wengui (967-1044). The texture strokes and washes were exquisitely applied while the composition was intricately arranged—it was the best painting in the world. As I unrolled the scroll, my spirit wandered through thousands of miles of vastness. Over the past thirty years I traveled north and south without much rest. But, whenever this work came to mind, I felt intoxicated. In the fall of the wuyin [1698] year, I was returning South [by boat] from Chang’an [i.e., the capital, Beijing] and had time at my disposal while on board. I decided to recapture the idea of this painting while using the styles of Juran 巨然 (act. tenth century) and Shuming (Wang Meng 王蒙, 1308-1385) here and there for the trees, rocks, and mountains. I gradually depicted the scenes of towns along the river and had practically completed the sketch. After arriving home, I took seven months to complete [this painting]. I feel that the original style and structure have been preserved by my hand. However, age has overtaken me and my skills have gone to seed, so it [this painting] is not fit to aide a true appreciator to vicariously travel through a landscape. The jimao year [1699] of the reign of Kangxi, on one of the first ten days of the ninth month, Gengyan Sanren Wang Hui from Haiyu inscribed this.
Provenance1699, sold by the artist to Zhang Rongduan (b. 1639 – d. 1714); given by Zhang Rongduan to his grandson and passed by descent within his family. Early 19th century, Luo Tianchi (b. 1805 – d. 1856); 1839, sold by Luo Tianchi to Jinqing. June 8, 1875, sold by Boguzhai (dealer), Beijing, to Weng Tonghe (b. 1830 - d. 1904), Changshu; by inheritance from Weng Tonghe to his great-grandson, Weng Zhilian (d. 1919), Changshu and Tianjin; by inheritance from Weng Zhilian to his son, Wan-go H.C. Weng, Tianjin, New York, and New Hampshire; 2002, transferred to the Hsing Ching Weng Trust, New Hampshire; 2018, gift of the Hsing Ching Weng Trust to the MFA. (Accession Date: July 25, 2018)
NOTE: On the provenance of the painting, see Wan-go Weng, “Ten Thousand Li up the Yangzi: A 17th century Chinese Masterpiece,” Orientations 38, no. 3 (2007), pp. 50-51 and Feier Ying, “Ten Thousand Miles and One Hundred Years: The Yangzi Scroll from the Weng Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,” Orientations 49, no. 4 (July/August, 2018), pp. 23-27.
NOTE: On the provenance of the painting, see Wan-go Weng, “Ten Thousand Li up the Yangzi: A 17th century Chinese Masterpiece,” Orientations 38, no. 3 (2007), pp. 50-51 and Feier Ying, “Ten Thousand Miles and One Hundred Years: The Yangzi Scroll from the Weng Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,” Orientations 49, no. 4 (July/August, 2018), pp. 23-27.