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Untitled Calligraphy

Four lines of calligraphy over paper decorated with gold images of bamboo, peonies, bats, and other symbols of good luck.

Four lines of calligraphy over paper decorated with gold images of bamboo, peonies, bats, and other symbols of good luck.

Artist Liu Yong (Chinese, 1720–1804)
Culture Chinese
Title Untitled Calligraphy
Date 18th century
Medium Ink on gold decorated paper
Dimensions Image: 52 x 13 1/4 in. (132.1 x 33.7 cm)
Mount: 90 x 20 1/2 in. (228.6 x 52.1 cm)
Credit Line From the collection of Dr. Thomas Kuebler, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 2013.243

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About this Work

Liu Yong held many high-level positions in the Qing government and was one of the most influential calligraphers of his time. This calligraphy is based on a Han dynasty inscription by Zhong Yao (151-230 CE) entitled Hejie Biao (Announcement of a Eulogy on Victory). The content of the writing is not as important as the style of Zhong Yao's style of calligraphy, which influenced the development of regular script.

Written on paper decorated with gold-stamped designs, the short, bold strokes of Liu's regular script takes the utmost control to make the characters rhythmic and of similar size and density. Although knowing the source of the text may add a layer of enjoyment, the text ends mid-sentence, suggesting that the execution was more important than the words.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Untitled Calligraphy | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=2013.243