明 傳仇英 五星二十八宿神形圖 卷|Divinities of the Planets and Constellations

Qiu Ying

16th century · Handscroll; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

The subject and imagery of this painting are derived from a composition attributed to the Tang dynasty (618–907) artist Liang Lingzan that is now in the collection of the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art. The painting depicts the deities of the Five Planets, which correspond to the five primary elements—wood (Jupiter), fire (Mars), earth (Saturn), metal (Venus), and water (Mercury)—and the twenty-eight constellations of the Chinese zodiac. Qiu Ying, a fine artist in his own right, was also famous as a skilled copyist of earlier paintings. Such copies were highly valued by collectors and other artists who might not have access to the originals. This painting bears the signature and seals of Qiu Ying but may itself be a later copy.

Artist

Qiu Ying

Date

16th century

Medium

Handscroll; ink and color on paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1989