方薰 1736-1799

題畫心：此圖為石門方蘭坁先生所繪《天中小景》，未經題款。在香生太守偶意得之攜示。雖無款識，一望而知為先生真跡無疑，宜寶之。光緒庚辰（一八八〇）冬十月六日，鴛湖後學張熊子祥氏審定因記，峕年七十六。鈐印：張熊

題跋：卷長不滿五尺，作天中景物略備。瑚詳翫是□似係壬寅（一七八二）癸卯（一七八三）間，先君子在金丈桐華館中所作。其時朱丈春橋、趙丈味辛、鮑丈以文皆在座中，即景賦物，因寫是幅，以紀一時之盛，殆亦古人西園雅集之意云尓。時嘉慶辛未（一八一一）孟冬下澣八日，廷瑚謹識。鈐印：方廷瑚印



署簽：方蘭士仿文文水天中節景圖。



鑒藏印：
（劉鶚）銕雲審定金石書畫
春□清頑

1. Scent of Ink: The Roy and Marilyn Papp Collection of Chinese Painting, Phoenix Art Museum, September 2-October 9, 1994; The Chrysler Museum, Virginia, November 13, 1994-January 8, 1995; Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Berlin, September 9-November 11, 1995; Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, December 15, 1995-February 18, 1996; China Institute, New York, February 4-June 10, 1998
2. Le Parfum de l'encre: Peintures Chinoises de la Collection Roy et Marilyn Papp, Musée Cernuschi, September 23-December 30, 1999
3. Lyrical Traditions: Four Centuries of Chinese Paintings from the Papp Collection, The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, June 22-October 7, 2007

1. Scent of Ink: The Roy and Marilyn Papp Collection of Chinese Painting, Phoenix Art Museum, 1994, cat. 30, pp. 104-106
2. Le Parfum de l'encre: Peintures Chinoises de la Collection Roy et Marilyn Papp, Musée Cernuschi, 1999, cat. 32, pp. 119-121
3. Anne Kerlan-Stephens, Traduction et Commentaire d'un Texte sur la Peinture Chinoise:  Fang Xun (1736-1799) et son Shanjingju Hualun (Doctoral dissertation), University of Paris, 2000, cat. no. 65
4. Anne Kerlan-Stephens, "Un peintre lettré de la région de Hangzhou au XVIIIes.: Fang Xun (1737-1799) et les cercles de la reconnaissance", in Arts Asiatiques, tome 60, 2005, fig. 8a-b, p. 47
5. Anne Kerlan-Stephens, "Glimpses of the Duanwu Festival by Fang Xun (1736-1799):  Commemorative Painting or Private Souvenir?", in Claudia Brown (Ed.), Myriad Points of View, Arizona State University, Phoebus 9, 2006, fig. 1, 4, 5, pp. 117-142
6. Claudia Brown, Great Qing: Painting in China, 1644-1911, University of Washington Press, 2014, fig. 6.7, p. 159

- Paper bears tanned tone due to age. - Minor dirt and stain.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Note:
Fang Tinghu is the son of the artist.

Fang Tinghu's colophon:
The scroll's length is not more than five [Chinese] feet. The subject concerns the Duanwu Festival, with essential details intact. I, Hu, carefully examined the scroll, and felt that this scroll must have painted in either 1782 or 1783. At the time, my late father was residing in the Tonghua Guan (Flowering Paulownia Studio), [at the estate of] the venerable Jin [Deyu]. On that occasion, elders like Zhu Fang'ai, Zhao Huaiyu, and Bao Tingbo were present. Consequently, given the circumstances, [my late father] depicted the scene on this scroll to record the festive spirit of that day. In that, he was but following in the footsteps of the Elegant Gathering at the Western Garden on the past.
- Scent of Ink, p. 105

Zhang Xiong's inscription:
This scenery of Tianzhong mountain is indeed painted by Fang Xun, but without his signature and seal. Having shown this to people, Jiang Fengzao [1845-1908] obtained and collected it. I recognize that the style is of Master Fang with even a single glance. The painting should be kept as a treasure. 
On the 6th day in the 10th month in the 6th year of the Guangxu reign period [1880], I, Zhang Xiong, after examining and appraising the painting, write this, when I am seventy-six.
- Translation courtesy of Yang Wu