Artist: Wen Peng (1497-1573)

Date: Ming (1368-1644)

Material: Ink on paper

• Object Type：
  • CALLIGRAPHY
• Location：
  • The Painting and Calligraphy of Shanghai Gallery
• Tag：
  • letter running script handscroll wen peng ming ink paper

Wen Peng (1497-1573), also known by his zi (designated name) Shoucheng and hao (literary name) Sanqiao, was native to Changzhou (in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu province) and the eldest son of Wen Zhengming. Erudite of the Guozijian (imperial academy) in Nanjing and Beijing, he was adept at seal carving, painting, calligraphy, authenticating and collecting artworks. This letter to Qian Gu (1509-after 1578) of the Wu area mentions Wen Peng's meeting with Xu Jie, borrowing and copying ancient books, appreciating friends' collections, and so on. Wen Peng saw Old Trees, Level Distance, a Northen Song dynasty painting by Guo Xi that is now in the Metropolitan Museum collection. He also saw Landscape in Twilight, a painting by Ju Ran that was acquired by Gu Congyi (1523-1588) of Shanghai. This shows the frequent exchange on collecting and authenticating painting and calligraphy between Shanghai and the Wu area.

【Special Exhibition】 An Everlasting Spring: The Art of Painting and Calligraphy in Shanghai