Description
These twelve figures are personifications of the dizhi 地支, or Earthly Branches. Each is accompanied by its corresponding animal in the Chinese zodiac. The Earthly Branches would normally be accompanied by the ten Heavenly Stems, or tiangan 天干, which suggests a missing leaf.
Provenance
Wang Hui 王翬 [1632–1717]; Li Jiale 李嘉樂 [jinshi of 1863]; Zhu Hang 朱沆 [active 19th century]; Dr. F. R. (Fredrik Robert) Martin [1868–1933], Stockholm, Sweden, and Munich, Germany (1910–?); Mrs. L. M. Morris [20th century], England (?–1947); (Sotheby's, London, sale, 25 March 1947, lot 118, sold to Stephen Junkunc III) (March 25, 1947); István “Stephen" Junkunc III [1904–1978], by descent to his son Stephen Junkunc IV (1947–78); (Stephen Junkunc IV [b. 1937], Miami, FL, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (1978–2004); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2004–)
Accession Number
2004.1.25
Medium
Album, ink on paper
Dimensions
Painting: 34.3 x 38.4 cm (13 1/2 x 15 1/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund in honor of Dr. Ju-hsi Chou and Gift of various donors to the department of Asian Art (by exchange)
