Description
The principal—and largest—figure in this leaf depicts Erlang, a celestial commander in a popular myth. Here he wears full armor and holds his sword. Seated by a pine tree, he orders his celestial army to rid Mt. Guankou of the undesirable creatures in the wilderness, including a wolf, a small alligator, and a monkey dressed in human clothes. This subject was first painted by a Northern Song artist, Gao Yi, and remained popular through the Southern Song period and during the Ming dynasty. In this album, the Soushan Tu (Search the Mountain) uses 10 leaves to complete its imagery. This is now the earliest known version of the narrative, as Gao Yi’s has not survived.
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
2004.1.41
Medium
Album, ink on paper
Dimensions
Painting: 34.3 x 38.5 cm (13 1/2 x 15 3/16 in.); Overall: 35 x 39.9 cm (13 3/4 x 15 11/16 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)