Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei, 1225

Artists at the southern song painting academy were often trained in illustrating poetry. Here, ma lin responds to a poem composed by tang poet wang wei (701–about 761) and written by emperor song lizong: “i walk unto where waters end—and sit down to watch when clouds arise. ” while two thirds of the round fan leaf remain empty, ma lin paints a scholar who gazes at a vast landscape panorama with a shore shrouded in mist and faint mountain ranges in the distance. This leaf and the emperor's calligraphy were originally mounted together and must have made a precious imperial gift when bestowed on a worthy official or high dignitary. Object Type: painting. Date: 1225. Place of creation: China, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). Dimensions: Image: 25.1 x 25.3 cm (9 7/8 x 9 15/16 in.); with mat: 33.3 x 40.5 cm (13 1/8 x 15 15/16 in.). Medium: ink on silk. Collection: Cleveland Museum of Art. Clevelandart 1961.421.1