元/明 宋克 草書負郭堂成七律詩 卷|Poem on retirement

Song Ke

Date unknown · Handscroll; ink on gold-flecked paper · Asian Art

A lover of martial arts as well as an accomplished poet, Song Ke briefly pursued a military career before returning to his native Suzhou, where he lived in retirement from about 1356 until the first Ming emperor (r. 1368–98) summoned him to serve as calligrapher-in-waiting at court. The foremost calligrapher of the early Ming, Song Ke based both his cursive and his regular scripts on those of Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322). This scroll probably dates to near the end of the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). It is executed in sharp, incisive thrusts and powerful curves that evoke Song's martial spirit, and its mixture of cursive and draft-cursive styles recalls the writing of two of Zhao Mengfu's early followers: Kangli Naonao (1295–1345) and Rao Jie (ca. 1300–1367).

Artist

Song Ke

Date

Date unknown

Medium

Handscroll; ink on gold-flecked paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of John M. Crawford Jr., 1988