Artwork
北宋–清 睢陽五老圖引首題跋 冊|Frontispiece and Colophons to the Album "Five Old Men of Suiyang"
北宋–清 睢陽五老圖引首題跋 冊|Frontispiece and Colophons to the Album "Five Old Men of Suiyang" is an ink painting by the Song dynasty painting artist Various Scholars. It dates from 1456 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work consists of a fifteen‑leaf album bound together, each leaf bearing inked text on paper.
About this work
Overview
The work consists of a fifteen‑leaf album bound together, each leaf bearing inked text on paper. It serves as the frontispiece and accompanying colophons for the collection titled “Five Old Men of Suiyang.” The pages are aged, with black ink characters and occasional red seals typical of Chinese documentary practice.
Subject & Meaning
The album records the titles and commentary related to a series of images depicting five venerable figures associated with Suiyang, a locale revered in religious and historical narratives. The colophons function as scholarly annotations, providing context and interpretation for the visual series.
Technique & Style
Executed with brush‑laden black ink on paper, the calligraphic script follows traditional Chinese conventions, while the red stamps are applied with cinnabar paste. The materiality reflects standard manuscript production of the mid‑15th century, emphasizing legibility and durability over decorative embellishment.
History & Provenance
Compiled in 1456, the album bridges artistic periods from the Northern Song through the Qing dynasty, as indicated by its title. Though attributed to “Various Scholars,” the work likely involved multiple hands, scribes and annotators, who contributed to its textual layers over time.
Context
The “Five Old Men of Suiyang” theme draws on a well‑known legend that celebrated loyalty and moral fortitude. By the mid‑15th century, such subjects were frequently revisited in religious and moral literature, and the album’s colophons reflect the scholarly practice of preserving and interpreting these narratives.
Artist & collection
Artist
This album page belongs to a tradition of Chinese handscrolls and albums where scholars wrote and painted to record history and friendship.
