Contains twenty-three essays based on papers presented at an international symposium held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in May 1985 to celebrate the gifts and promised gifts of Chinese calligraphy and painting from John M. In these essays senior scholars from Asia and America express a wide range of perspectives on an issue that is central to the history of Chinese visual aesthetics--the relationships among poetry, calligraphy, and painting. This interdisciplinary exploration of the literati painting inscribed with poetry and of related topics involves art historians, literary historians, and scholars of calligraphy who cover roughly two millennia of Chinese history in their research.
Chinese characters have been provided throughout the texts for artists' names, for titles of works of art and literature, and for important historical figures, as well as for excerpts of relevant poetry and prose. A chronology, also containing Chinese characters, and an extensive glossary-index are included.