清/現代　齊白石　大吉圖　冊頁|Mandarin orange

Qi Baishi

undated · Framed album leaf; ink on paper · Asian Art

This simple ink play by Qi Baishi evokes the squat form of a mandarin orange through a few casual flicks of the brush. Much of the rest of the composition is taken up with the artist’s inscription: Greatly Auspicious! Playfully painted by Old Man Jieshan. 大吉。借山老人戱。 Qi’s inscription confirms the identity of the fruit, as the character for “auspicious” 吉 (ji) is close to the form and sound of the character for mandarin orange 桔 (ju).

Artist

Qi Baishi

Date

undated

Medium

Framed album leaf; ink on paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of Robert H. Ellsworth, 2014