| Nine Dragons | |
|---|---|
 Detail: One of the dragons from the scroll | |
| Artist | Chen Rong |
| Year | 1244 |
| Type | Ink and color onXuan paper |
| Dimensions | 46.3 cm × 1496.4 cm (18.2 in × 589.1 in) |
| Location | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,Boston |
Nine Dragons (九龍圖卷;Jiǔlóngtú juǎn) is ahandscroll painting by Chinese artistChen Rong.[1] Painted in 1244, it depicts the apparitions ofdragons soaring amidst clouds, mists, whirlpools, rocky mountains and fire, the painting refers to the dynamic forces of nature inDaoism and theliquid, water-likeessence of theTao.[2] The depicted dragons are associated with nine sons of theDragon King, while the number nine itself is considered auspicious inChinese astrology and folk beliefs.[3]
Areas of the painting are spattered with drops of ink, either flung or blown onto the surface in a manner similar toaction painting. This is a conscious evocation of rain and may even be arainmaking ritual by the artist; lines 32 and 33 of Chen Rong's poetic inscription describe how his dragons either could, or did, produce rainfall:[4]
In the world people longed for sustained rain.
Suoweng [that is, I] sketched forth Nine Dragons
The painting features multiple inscriptions and stamps. The left side features variouscolophons, including those byZhang Sicheng and Dong Sixue, aSong dynasty official. Two inscriptions on the painting were made by the artist's own hand.[5] The dating is based on one of them. According to the inscription placed at the end of the painting, the work was inspired by two other paintings,Cao Ba'sNine Horses andNine Deers, attributed toHuichong.[5] A later inscription by theQianlong Emperor says that besides praising Chen Rong's painting, Qianlong ordered a court painter to make a copy of it.[5] Qianlong also impressed several seals on the original painting, whose text appreciate the work.[clarification needed][6]
In the 17th century the scroll was in the possession ofGeng Zhaozhong (1640–1686) son of PrinceGeng Jimao and court attendant to theShunzhi Emperor. TheQianlong Emperor (1711–1799) passed it to theJiaqing Emperor (1760–1820) and it was probably given by one of the later Qing emperors[7] toPrince Gong (1833–1898). It was later owned by New York art dealersYamanaka and Co. who in 1917 sold it to theMuseum of Fine Arts Boston for $25,000.[8]
