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Just bought these 2 books from a client of mine who's mother (deceased) is a world reknown artist heavily influenced by Asian paintings during the early to mid 20th c. Apparently the books were used as reference guides as she applied colors and techniques used in classical paintings into her own works.

First book is a folio published in 1961 of the Boston Museum of Fine Art's collection of 178 Yuan to Ming paintings. Seems to be a rare book and rather expensive with no online version available for viewing. So, I was thinking if there is any interest I could post photos of the plate index, and if anyone is interested in a specific photo of a painting, i could post an image....not sure if that would violate publishing rights, but since the book is out of print, should be okay.

There was a handwritten note with stamps inlcluded with this book. Could someone please translate it?

2nd book is composed of 90 original flower paintings, most with just seals, but a few with writing. Cover of the book and outer box appears to have the artist's signature. Artist?

Not sure if my computer is having a gliche, but the preview is showing only the last photo uploaded three times instead of the three different photos I've selected....hope when this message posts that all three photos show.

Thanks for the help!
Tim

Looks like my photos didn't upload correctly.......2nd attempt.

Artist's name is Wu Meng 吴孟, no idea who that is but the calligraphy is poor, date seems to be 1965, 1905 much less likely.

Thanks! 1965 sound right to me. The collection of paintings are a mix of some very well rendered, and others not so well. I thought it was interesting that the paintings are on silk - when I bought the book, I expected paper.

Now that I have my laptop back from repair, I'll post some better photos of the flowers.

i'm using my wife's Ipad...must be some weird glitch with how it uploads/downloads.....

Here's the other photos..

I'm interested in knowing what the hand written letter says.

Thanks!

the letter is dated before WW2 and is by a Japanese painter surnamed Konishi authenticating a painting, possibly one of his own, but not a painting in the MFA collection (I checked the painting title in your letter against those listed in the booklet which accompanies the MFA plates the letter apparently came with).

fyi the MFA collection is now searchable online, so many of the items in your B&W plates should be available in color at magnification.

I'll check to see if the estate has any Japanese paintings...very likely they have it.

I have used the online viewing of the MFA collection....great resource. The narrative on the paintings included as a part of this book is what I find most interesting.

Be careful, research has likely superseded the information printed in this folio. Wu Tong's work in the large "Tales from the Land of Dragons" catalog is much stronger, but focuses on earlier paintings than these.

Arg, opened my mouth too soon, as usual. Having just gone back to check the content I see that it is almost entirely descriptive, very little of it is interpretive, so it should be fine. Not entirely sure all the attributions would stand up today, but I don't know what work has been done to revise them. Wu Tong's catalog did reattribute a number of the earlier works to anonymous painters though.

Hi,

The letters says:
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"Long size hanging scroll one :Titled [Landscape of Summer mountain and misty rain].
This hanging scroll is genuine which was drawn by Mr. Suzuki Shonen who was my(Konishi Fukunen) teacher.

Written by Konishi Fkunen.
At May,1923 (Taisho period in Japan)."
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Try MFA collection search with " Shonen ".
(But hanging scroll like this title isn't found on MFA)

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