Xin Pi Tugging the Emperor's Robe 辛毗引裾圖
date: label: Date
content: 14th century
label: Period
content: Yuan or early Ming dynasty
notes: label: Label
content: When Charles Lang Freer purchased this hanging scroll from Seaouke Yue [You Xiaoqi] in November 1917, it was attributed to the Tang dynasty (618-906) and identified as an episode in the history the tragic Han dynasty heroine, Wang Zhaojun (first century B.C.E.). Since nothing in the traditional representations of the Wang Zhaojun story corresponds in any way with the relationships of the figures in this painting, it is celar that the traditional identification of the subject was incorrect.
label: Label
content: A brief entry in Guo Ruoxu's Tuhua jianwen zhi (late 1070s) provides the answer to the identity of the participants in the painting Xin Pi Tugging the Emperor's Robe. Xin Pi was the loyal but outspoken minister who served Emperor Wen of the state of Wei (reigned 220-26). The dramatic confrontation depicted in the Freer painted occurred when Xin Pi criticized a decision by the emperor because he felt it would place an undue hardship on the people. Angered by such outspoken criticism, the emperor rose from his seat and was about to withdraw. But refusing to be ignored, Xin Pi followed the emperor and continued to remonstrate by tugging at the hem of his gown. Eventually, Xin Pi's extraordinary courage caused the emperor to reconsider his decision. Paintings depicting the exploits of meritorous ministers, loyal generals, and paragons of filial piety, reflect the influence of Confucian tradition.
label: Label
content: Stylistic features in the rendering of details of the landscape and figures support a 14th-century date for the scroll. That date would also be consistent with the choice of a didactic Confucian narrative theme, since artists of all schools during that period were re-examining ancient themes and traditions of painting.
label: Label
content: To learn more about this and similar objects, visit http://www.asia.si.edu/SongYuan/default.asp Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy.
label: Provenance
content: To 1917
label: Provenance
content: You Xiaoxi (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 You Xiaoxi 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. 1207, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
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: Old Tales Retold: Narrative in Chinese Painting (April 20 to October 20, 2013)
label: Exhibition History
content: Studies in Connoisseurship 1923-1983 (September 23, 1983 to March 1, 1984)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics (March 7, 1957 to January 1, 1963)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: You Xiaoxi 游篠溪 (late 19th-early 20th century) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: China
topic: label: Topic
content: Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368)
label: Topic
content: Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)
label: Topic
content: China
label: Topic
content: emperor
label: Topic
content: minister
label: Topic
content: Chinese Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
setName: label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: Related Online Resources
content: Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy
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: F1917.332
objectType: label: Type
content: Painting
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Ink and color on silk
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (image): 106.1 x 49.7 cm (41 3/4 x 19 9/16 in)