![The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat], from The Cleveland Museum of Art](https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1979.72/1979.72_web.jpg)
China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) / 1743
The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat]
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs The Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat] as painting (China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) · 1743).
The two hosts and their fourteen guests were all officials, scholars, poets, painters, and salt merchants.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as Handscroll; ink and color on silk and credits Fang Shishu (Chinese, 1693–1751).
The museum's collection notes: By the 1700s, Yangzhou was flourishing both economically and culturally as the most prosperous city in China, having surpassed all other Jiangnan cities in their creation of gardens. This group portrait commemorates a literary gathering in the private garden of the salt merchants and art patrons Ma Yueguan (1688–1755) and his brother Ma Yuelu (1697–after 1766) in Yangzhou. Ma Yueguan received imperial recognition for providing financial aid and food relief for those affected by flood and drought. Ma Yueguan is seen seated at the end of the painting holding an open scroll while Ma Yuelu stands behind the qin instrument player. Among the guests
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe Ninth Day Literary Gathering at Xing’an [Temporary Retreat]Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.