Scholarly Pleasures in a Garden Retreat

Displaying amazing descriptive detail, this round fan painting shows a scholar reclining in his study on a platform daybed, reading a book. Surrounding him are objects that would have been prized by the educated elite of the day. These include the long wood table to his right on which rest books, an antique bronze, and two red coral trees  ; the stool and low footrest where his slippers rest; and the tall stand to his left, which holds a prized celadon vase supported by a red lacquer frame. A pair of paintings grace the wall behind him: an ink monochrome landscape on one side and a bird-and-flower composition on the other. On the veranda, servants use a black lacquer table for food preparation; in the garden below, one fans a charcoal brazier for the heating of wine. The carefully delineated architecture is complimented by an enormous scholar’s rock (taihu) and bamboo stand, which dominate the garden. In spite of its small size, detailed paintings like this provide an incredible amount of information about life in ancient China.