Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei

Artists at the Southern Song Painting Academy were often trained in illustrating poetry. Here, Ma Lin responds to a poem composed by Tang poet Wang Wei (701–about 761) and written by emperor Song Lizong: “I walk unto where waters end—And sit down to watch when clouds arise.” While two thirds of the round fan leaf remain empty, Ma Lin paints a scholar who gazes at a vast landscape panorama with a shore shrouded in mist and faint mountain ranges in the distance.

This leaf and the emperor's calligraphy were originally mounted together and must have made a precious imperial gift when bestowed on a worthy official or high dignitary.