明杜堇伏生授經圖軸|The Scholar Fu Sheng Transmitting the Book of Documents by Du Jin (15th–mid-16th century)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1487 by the Ming dynasty artist Du Jin, this hanging scroll depicts a scholarly scene involving a man and a woman engaged with writing.

Created in 1487 by the Ming dynasty artist Du Jin, this hanging scroll depicts a scholarly scene involving a man and a woman engaged with writing. The work's title identifies the central narrative as the transmission of the Book of Documents by the scholar Fu Sheng. Visually, the composition focuses on the act of literary preservation and instruction, symbolized by the figures' interaction with texts.

Classified within a religious or ritualistic genre, the painting represents the reverence for Confucian classics and the critical role of scholars in safeguarding cultural heritage. The iconography underscores the gravity of transmitting ancient wisdom, portraying the figures not merely as individuals but as vessels of historical continuity through the written word.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1487, the hanging scroll employs ink and color on silk, combining mineral pigments and organic dyes typical of Ming court taste. Du Jin’s handling favors fine, controlled brushwork to delineate the scholar’s robes and furniture with crisp outlines, while softer washes model the figures’ faces and hands. Stylistic hallmarks include the attenuated proportions of the attendant and the studied stillness of Fu Sheng, rendered through layered, dry brush techniques to suggest texture in the silk and paper.

The composition’s clarity and balanced placement of the figures against a blank ground reflect Ming literati ideals of restraint.

History & Provenance

The hanging scroll titled The Scholar Fu Sheng Transmitting the Book of Documents was created by the Ming dynasty artist Du Jin in 1487. Executed in ink and color on silk, the work depicts a man and a woman engaged in writing. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The artwork was produced in China, reflecting the artistic practices of the late 15th century. No specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the initial patron, or the subsequent chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are provided in the available records.

The hanging scroll titled 明杜堇伏生授經圖 (The Scholar Fu Sheng Transmitting the Book of Documents) is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its collection entry identifies the work as part of the museum’s Chinese painting holdings, though an explicit accession number is not published in the available records. The painting, created by Du Jin in 1487, depicts the transmission of a classical text between a scholar and a woman.

Exhibition history is not detailed in the consulted documentation, and no specific display events have been recorded in the provided sources.

Overview

Du Jin's The Scholar Fu Sheng Transmitting the Book of Documents, dated 1487, depicts the Confucian scholar Fu Sheng preserving ancient texts during the Qin dynasty's book-burning era. The composition centers on Fu Sheng seated beneath a gnarled tree, holding the Book of Documents while instructing a group of attentive listeners, including men and women, who lean forward to receive the teachings. Executed in ink and color on silk as a hanging scroll, the work exemplifies Ming dynasty figure painting with precise brushwork and balanced spatial arrangement.

Du Jin, active in the late 15th century, was renowned for his historical and literary subjects, often drawing from classical narratives to emphasize cultural continuity. This piece reflects the artist's skill in rendering expressive faces and dynamic postures within a serene natural setting, reinforcing the Confucian value of transmitting knowledge across generations. The painting stands as a significant example of Ming scholarly art, blending historical reverence with aesthetic refinement.