"the scholar-official su shi was disgraced and exiled in the early 1080s, but was promoted and honoured on his return to the capital in 1086. Members of his circle, who had been exiled or demoted, also came back to the capital. Tradition has it that his friend wang shen, the late emperor’s son-in-law, hosted an elegant gathering in his west garden, which was attended by su shi and all the leading lights of the northern song art-world in officialdom. That apocryphal event is the topic of this painting. The artist shitao recreated the scene using a text recording the event supposedly penned by the calligrapher mi fu – this is the inscription at the end of the scroll. Su shi is the figure in the tall hat at the black table. The painter li gonglin is the man painting at the white table. Mi fu is the man about to inscribe the cliff. "
—chester beatty library. Dimensions: 36.4 × 328 cm. Medium: ink and colors on paper. Collection: Shanghai Museum. Elegant Gathering in the West Garden, by Shitao
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