Bidspirit auction | Hanging Scroll: Imperial Calligraphy Inscribed

Hanging Scroll: Imperial Calligraphy Inscribed by the Qianlong Emperor, Qing Dynasty - Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong (1711–1799), born Hongli of the Aisin Gioro clan, was the fourth son of Emperor Yongzheng and was born at the Prince Yong's Mansion. Qianlong exerted considerable influence in the realms of calligraphy and painting. His calligraphy, primarily in running and cursive scripts, was characterized by a refined and elegant style, subtle yet profound, with a rounded, vigorous, and robust brushwork that echoed the charm of Wang Xizhi’s tradition, whom he greatly admired. In painting, he often created works in the *xieyi* (freehand) style, employing concise and restrained brushstrokes that conveyed a scholarly, literary aura. Qianlong was an avid collector and connoisseur of calligraphy and painting. Under his reign, the imperial court amassed an enormous collection of masterpieces from previous dynasties, nearly exhausting the surviving works of Jin, Tang, Song, and Yuan masters. He treasured the *Three Rarities*—*Letter on a Clear Day After Snowfall*, *Mid-Autumn Letter*, and *Boyuan Letter*—housed in the Hall of Three Rarities (”Sanxi Tang”). However, his judgment as a connoisseur was not infallible; for instance, he mistakenly identified the Ziming version of *Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains* as the authentic one and inscribed it extensively with colophons. Additionally, Qianlong commissioned the compilation of *The Pearl Forest of the Secret Hall* (*Midian Zhulin*) and *Precious Collection of the Stone Moat* (*Shiqu Baoji*), which meticulously documented the imperial collection of calligraphy and painting. These works have provided rich and invaluable materials for later studies on the history, authentication, and provenance of Chinese calligraphy and painting, contributing significantly to the preservation and development of this cultural heritage.