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I recently met with the Poly experts from Beijing during their latest visit to Richmond�they advised that this scroll needs further investigation. They explained that the scroll is not genuine but is a fine first-hand reproduction � ie, reproduced by an artist� not a print. My colleague (a translator) said the scroll is by Mengfu and she believed the writings where by Xi Kang (eg, Yangsheng Lun Essay?) � Mengfu�s seal is on the last page. I�m confused as I�ve tried researching to locate a reprint of this scroll and haven�t been successful. I know that the scroll is at least 40 years old�it�s been in storage for the past 20 years. Can anyone add insight (the scroll is very long�I�ve only attached the 1st, last and sampling of script page). I will upload other pics as a reply to this message once it�s posted on the forum. Appreciate any insight - D

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pics 4 to 6

mengfu is the given name of Zhao Mengfu, an important Yuan painter, calligrapher, and civil servant related to the Song imperial family. If you think you are going to get the better of Poly representatives when your knowledge of Chinese history and culture is this limited you are very much mistaken.

Poly personnel are truly amazing! They have suggested follow-on with selected pieces within the collection and we totally repect this. We are open to comment and appreciate constructive feedback. thanks for your help, D

great, what did they say about your xu beihong?

the Zhao Mengfu looks like a decent copy, but overly florid because the copyist spent a lot of time making sure each character was copied closely at the expense of replicating the spatial and aesthetic coherence among the characters above and below and in neighboring lines. Assuming this is not trying to be an exact copy of an existing scroll I imagine the Poly scouts will be looking to the seals to establish an approximate date for the earliest of them. the possibility also exists that this is an original piece of calligraphy to which Zhao's signature and seal were added later by an unscrupulous dealer (happens all the time). there were a number of calligraphers who could write in Zhao's style quite convincingly

the more I look at the calligraphy, the less convincing it looks to me. as already indicated this is certainly not by Zhao himself. I think this is a fairly recent attempt to deceive, and may not be copied from an extant scroll at all. Alternatively, it may be a copy of a pre-existing bad copy of a Zhao scroll. in the many hundreds of years between Zhao's era and the advent of photography and modern means of reproduction there were few ways for collectors/dealers/art lovers to view genuine examples of an artist's work, much less compare them easily.

It�s all an adverture/process...the more I look and investigate this the more I think hmmmmm (...this solely from a layperson�s perspective who has been placed in the position of trying to understand and do a high level overview of a large collection). I look at links such as the following and I see a correlation in terms of overall character look, paper finish and the extent of the essay...
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/asian_art/rhapsody_on_the_luo_river_goddess_zhao_mengfu/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60050243
Bottom line...the more I learn the less I know. Nice part is that others are now starting to help... As always, open to comment - thanks, D

Yes, here's another example of Zhao's calligraphy for you to compare it with (in Princeton's collection):

http://etcweb.princeton.edu/asianart/selectionsdetail.jsp?ctry=China&pd=Yuan&id=1091381

Although the characters are tightly arranged, like your scroll, you can see how much more consistently (even rigidly) they are structured than the characters of your scroll.

The following is an example of Zhao's "running script" (in the Metropolitan's collection): freer, more simplified, more cursive, yet also maintaining a strong sense of balance in terms of individual characters and in terms of the space around each character and how they are spaced/arrayed on the page.
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/objectview.aspx?collID=6&OID=60007746

Xu Beihong is an ink block print (...they showed us how to identify these type of prints � very clear to see the difference once this info was shared).

This is one of the scrolls that they strongly recommended we have further investigation done on. I specifically asked them if it was a copy (print � eg, similar to ink block) and was told no�they described it as an original that is well rendered and probably produced by another artist?

I�ve researched the Met NY, googled Yuan masters, the original essay, etc and have come up empty handed in terms of finding the original or a similar item with this essay.

dandi,
i wish you luck, and the strenth of persistence
in your quest for more knowledge. Most of the time you will feel like you live on an island
and messages come by floating bottle. Other times
you will feel like an explorer on the verge of a great discovery. Any study that you can do in the
area of Chinese Art will also create rewards in your life as you learn to appreciate the human
effort that it took to create it.

John R, thank you! Have been working for many months on this collection (big, fabulous and for the most part beautiful...although, sometimes I have to admit that there are pieces within the collection that make me smile and go OMG!). Collection was owned by a business person and collector from Hong Kong who was closely involved with venture capital and the publishing industry (eg, one of his roles involved working with a large Asian antiquities/arts publication).

I really don�t know if the items within the collection are genuine (...my intuition says that some are). The incredible part is that I�ve been able to engage a diverse group of people to help (ie, artists, antiquities/arts professionals, professors, and friends). I�m compelled to tell this man�s journey. I believe his family may have overlooked his passion for the arts and I think there is a story to be told here (perhaps I can help through the collection?).

I�m grateful for the exploration. Just wish I knew more... reminds me of poster...it read �I don�t know where I�m going but I�m on my way� =)

pics 7 to 9

more pics

a bio of Xi Gang and the text of Yangsheng Lun can be found here
http://baike.baidu.com/view/3996.htm

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