Fisher folk moored under trees
date: label: Date
content: 16th-17th century
label: Period
content: Ming dynasty
name: label: Artist
content: Formerly attributed to Liu Songnian (傳)劉松年 (ca. 1150-after 1225)
notes: label: Label
content: While scenes of everyday family life are rare in Chinese painting, the families of ordinary fishermen are frequently shown both at work and leisure. Generally depicted leading a healthy, carefree existence with the bounty of nature at their feet, fishing families came to symbolize the welfare enjoyed by society under the aegis of an enlightened ruler. Starting in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), such depictions became a subgenre of their own, known as "the joys of fishermen." In this typical example, several families moor closely together by a riverbank behind a screen of drying nets. With the day's work done, the men are drinking and relaxing. One man conceals something behind his back, as the fellow opposite stretches out his hand, wishing to see it. Three of the women attend young children, while a fourth washes a cup over the side of a boat. Nearby, two older children take fish from a large bamboo basket and drop them into a pot.
label: Label
content: The five paintings seen here illustrating activities on the rivers of China were created by and for members of the educated elite. From their perspective, the common fisherman, surrounded by and working in harmony with his family and friends, led an enviably simple existence untroubled by outside issues and events. Accordingly, fishermen frequently appear in settings that emphasize the cooperative and communal nature of their livelihood.
label: Provenance
content: To 1917
label: Provenance
content: Li Wenqing (late 19th-early 20th century), Shanghai, to 1917 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1917 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Li Wenqing, in New York, in 1917 [2]
label: Provenance
content: From 1920
label: Provenance
content: Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] See Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 1158, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. See also, Voucher No. 18, December 1916.
label: Provenance
content: [2] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
label: Collection
content: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: Work and Commerce: Everyday Life in Chinese Painting (June 19, 2004 to January 17, 2005)
label: Exhibition History
content: On the River (April 01, 1995 to January 23, 1996)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Li Wenqing 李文卿 (ca. 1869-1931) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: China
topic: label: Topic
content: Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)
label: Topic
content: fishing
label: Topic
content: woman
label: Topic
content: boat
label: Topic
content: eating
label: Topic
content: family
label: Topic
content: China
label: Topic
content: Chinese Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
setName: label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: F1917.112
objectType: label: Type
content: Painting
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Ink and color on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (image): 101.9 x 47.6 cm (40 1/8 x 18 3/4 in)