painting by Hua Guan, calligraphy by Hongwu (Yiru), dated 1791

handscroll in four sections, ink and color on paper.



1. Titleslip 'Yi Ru Si Xiang Tu' inscribed by Liu Yong (1720-1804), with one seal. Annotation written in English in ink on the brocade mount "Found in Deserted Palace 8th Prince, Peking China 1900, by Lt. Col. C. A. Coolidge 9th Infty"



2. Frontispiece, consisting of the title written in sealscript, by Wang Chengpei (?-1805), with five seals, and a long preface by Hongwu explaining the circumstances of the painting commission, dated 56th year of the Qianlong reign (1791) and signed with his hao Yiru Jushi, with nine seals. Annotation written in English in ink "Obtained in Peking China 1900. by Lt. Col. C. A. Coolidge 9th Infty. No.139 Collection"



3. Painting consisting of four sections, each preceded by an inscription written by Hongwu identifying the specific avastha or state of existence, and followed by a specific portrait of Hongwu in differing guises within a pictorial setting. Numerous seals of Hongwu appear throughout. The four avastha in order are:
(1) Woxiang, 'Ego-State': (illustrated in ink only) portrait of Hongwu as a young man being served tea in an elegant garden setting.
(2) Renxiang, 'State of Humanity': portrait of Hongwu with a staff admiring prunus blossoms with a Buddhist monk.
(3) Zhongshengxiang, 'State of Consciousness': portrait of Hongwu in a monk's garb holding a rosary meditating together with two other monks, both painted with specific features and probably portraits as well.
(4) Shouzhexiang, 'State of Longevity': portrait of Hongwu as an older man standing beneath a pine tree amid a chrysanthemum garden, with four attendants and a horse.
Signed 'Respectfully painted by Hua Guan of Xishan in the 12th month of xinhai year (1791)', with one seal of the artist.



4. Colophons by 18 Qing Dynasty scholars, including Hongwu himself again, Liu Yong (1720-1804), Yu Ji (1738-1823), and Zhang Wentao (1764-1814). Second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, tenth, and eleventh colophon dated during Qianlong renzi year (1792), thirteenth colophon dated jiayin year (1794), fourteenth colophon dated Jiaqing jisi year (1809), fifteenth colophon dated Jiaqing wuchen year (1808), seventeenth and eighteenth colophons dated Jiaqing gengwu year (1810), with a final annotation dated Xianfeng renzi year (1852).

Lt. Col. Charles Austin Coolidge, reputedly removed from an Imperial palace, Beijing, 1900.
Thence by descent to the present owners.

This handscroll is an excellent example of Qing dynasty portraiture, but is even more noteworthy for its psychological richness and unusual Buddhist philosophical subject matter.

Hua Guan, originally Hua Qingguan, also called Hua Dian, Hua Qinji, and Hua Jiya, was a Qing court painter from Wuxi, Jiangsu province. He was famed for his portrait painting, and was skilled at landscape and flower painting, as well as figure painting in the baimiao (fine-lined) style.He lived to be over eighty years old.

Hongwu (d.1811) appears as the subject of the painting, and also wrote the calligraphy attached to the paintings. He was a member of the Qing Imperial family, the second son of Prince Xian and grandson of the Kangxi Emperor. In 1763, Hongwu was granted the title of Defender-General of the State, Second-Class, and in 1764 he advanced to Beile Prince, fourth highest of the twelve titles of nobility. However, three years later, he was stripped of his title for cause.

Hongwu devoted much of his life to poetry, calligraphy and painting. During the 1760s-70s, he enjoyed a close relationship with the Qianlong Emperor and painted often for him. In 1790, the emperor inscribed one of Hongwu's paintings at Imperial request. The present painting, which explores the meaning of human life and existence within a Buddhist context, was completed a year later and perhaps may be seen as a product of several years of introspection following the indignity of being striped of his rank. In 1794, Hongwu was somewhat rehabilitated, being granted the lowest of the twelve tltles, General by Grace, however in 1799 he was again degraded. It was not until two years before his death in 1811 that he was again appointed General by Grace.