Artist: Unknown

Date: Song (960-1271)

Dimensions: Height 23.9 cm, Width 25.4 cm

Material: Ink and color on silk

• Object Type：
  • PAINTINGS
• Location：
  • The Painting and Calligraphy of Shanghai Gallery
• Tag：
  • magnolia coco fan leaf album leaf song ink and color paper

A life-like sketch of a branch of blooming magnolia coco, this painting capturing its process of opening at dawn and closing at dusk. The leaves are rendered with meticulous brushwork, tilting and turning in various directions, with finely detailed outlining and washes. Bearing no signature, this work is likely from a master of the Southern Song imperial painting academy. It was successively collected and appreciated by connoisseurs like Xiang Yuanbian, Wu Dacheng, and Wu Hufan. Wu Hufan (1894-1968) was a pivotal figure in the history of connoisseurship of classical Chinese painting and calligraphy in the 20^th century. Integrating connoisseurship, creation, and scholarship, he was not only the leading master of the painting circle in Jiangnan after Wu Changshuo, but also laid foundation for the field of painting and calligraphy authentication.