Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 6early 1650s · Study 1975.22.6

Context from the museum

Zhou Yi's calligraphy is across from the painting on leaf six. His colophon reads: The bright moon emerges through the willow, The fragrance of flowers is already difficult to retain. Listening above these tall branches, I sense that faraway in my native place autumn has arrived. Obstructed, all the diminished waters flow, Abruptly the sound of a lute wafts to and fro. A strong wind, unabated, blows among the willow branches.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

A cicada clings to a willow branch while two bees fly in the moonlight .

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 6 is 17.3 cm wide and 12.6 cm high, equivalent to approximately 6.8 × 5.0 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.37:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.02 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 5.8% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 141.3 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 6 in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, album leaf, ink and color on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 17.3 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?