Pipa (Loquats)

A loquat tree rises diagonally through the scroll, its clusters of round orange fruit and pale green unripe fruit set against broad, dark ink leaves painted with wet, layered strokes. Columns of black calligraphy and red seals fill the upper right and lower left margins of the pale paper.

Look closer: A small red seal sits low in the right-hand calligraphy column, near the bottom edge.

Artist

Xugu

Date

c. 1888–89

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Size

1612 × 3400 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund