A Chinese Painting on Silk by Wu Da Lot n° 351

Depicting a bird punched on a branch of blossoming flowers. Wu Da, was a 17th century painter from Shoaxing (Zhejiang province) and a student of Lan Ying. He is also known as Xingxian, Xingsheng, nickname Mozhuang. Inscription on the painting: Painted by Wu Da from Jishan (= Shoaling), in the autumn of the year xin wei (1691). Followed by two seals of the artist: Wu Da zhiyin (seal of Wu Da), Xingxian. Here under two collectors seals: Tie Bao siyin (Private seal of Tie Bao, Mei'an. Tie Bao (1752 - 1824, nickname Mei'an) was a high Manchurian official and was souvenir general of the provinces Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangxi, and Minister of Officials. In the top center of the painting two seals of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795): Qian, Qianlong yushing zhibao (Jewel personally admired by Emperor Qianlong). To the lower left an illegible collectors seal. Title above the painting: " Divine spirit set in painting". Signed, Mansheng, seal illegible. Mansheng was the nickname of Chen Honshu (1768-1822), a famous poet, painter and calligrapher. Inscription below the painting: " Wu Da, given name Xingxian, second given name Xingsheng, nick name Mozhuang, came from Shoaling. He was good at landscapes, but excelled in flowers and birds. This painting is equal to the work of the masters of the Song and Yuan dynasty, it may even surpass this. Minister Mei'an (= Tie Bao) once showed me four paintings of flowers and birds dating from the beginning of our dynasty (Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911). I laid them on the table and admired them each morning and evening after the meal for months, and could not bear to give them back. In the ninth month of the year guy wei (= 1824), shivering in the chilly autumn wind, respectfully recorded by Mao Yi." Seal : Mao Yi zhiyin (seal of Mao Yi). The figure Mao Yi has not been identified. Source: Examined and translated by Klaas Ruitenbeek in the early 1990's. At the time curator of Asian