Letter to Liang Zhongren

Inscription: Artist’s inscription and signature (12 columns in semi-cursive script)

I was honored to receive your last letter requesting some of my regular script writing. Recently, I have written out transcriptions of the “Xi ming” (Mottos on the west side, by Zhang Zai, 1020–1077) and the “Zuoyou ming” (Maxims kept at hand, by Cui Yuan, ca. 77–142) to send you. Their inferior quality is very embarrassing; I hope you will give me the benefit of your instruction. I have also received from you through a friend a couple of rubbings of Liang Gu's [active early 3rd century] stele written in the clerical script in the temple of Confucius. Their ink tonality is refined and lustrous. How lucky I am! This boon is really unexpected, and I cannot fully express my gratitude in this letter.[1]

書奉鏞翁大參鄉兄閣下：沈度固完。前者恪來，具領雅意，向索真字，今寫 《西銘》一通、《座右銘》 一通奉去，殊愧陋劣，冀見教。後次人便得惠 《孔廟》、《梁鵠》 隷碑一二紙，墨色精明，幸甚！良晤未期，伏惟心照不具。十二月廿四日友生度奉鏞翁大參鄉兄閣下。

Artist’s seal

Shen Du siyiin 沈度私印

Label strip

Unidentified Artist, 1 column in standard script, undated (on mounting):

沈學士書 三希堂石渠寶笈法帖第二十七冊

Collectors’ seals

Gu Song 顧崧 （17th c.）
顧崧之印

An Qi 安岐 (1683–1742)
安儀周家珍藏

Gu Luofu 顧洛阜 (John M. Crawford, Jr., 1913–1988)
顧洛阜
漢光閣

Unidentified
維岳
蓮樵曾觀
孫氏家藏
爾眉審定真蹟

[1] Translation from Department records.

John M. Crawford Jr. American, New York (until d. 1988; bequeathed to MMA)

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Brush and Ink: The Chinese Art of Writing," September 2, 2006–January 21, 2007.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Landscapes Clear and Radiant: The Art of Wang Hui (1632–1717)," September 9, 2008–January 4, 2009.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of the Ming Dynasty: China's Age of Brilliance," January 23–September 13, 2009.

Liang Shizheng 梁詩正. Yuke Sanxi Tang Shiqu baoji fatie 御刻三希堂石渠宝笈法帖 (Ink rubbings from the Sanxi Hall, the Qianlong Emperor's collection), ca. 1747. Reprinted in Sanxi Tang fatie 三希堂法帖 (Ink rubbings from the Sanxi Hall), edited by Li Yanpei 李延沛. Reprinted ed., Harbin: Heilongjiang renmin chubanshe, 1984, vol. 17, pp. 1942–44.

Shih Shou-ch'ien, Maxwell K. Hearn, and Alfreda Murck. The John M. Crawford, Jr., Collection of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Checklist. Exh. cat. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1984, p. 25, cat. no. 49.