Painting study · Ink painting
Flowering Crab Apple1500 · Study 1997.101
Shen Zhou (Chinese, 1427–1509)
1500
Recorded as hanging scroll, ink on paper, this vertical work measures 28.5 × 87 cm using the museum’s painting dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.
Museum collection reference. This work is not offered for sale by Physical Art For Crypto. Museum attribution does not imply a partnership or endorsement.
Context from the museum
Shen Zhou painted a broken branch ( zhezhi 折枝) of crab apple, a fragment of nature rather than the full plant in its natural context. Shen uses calligraphic outlines in pure ink to depict the flower petals. The swift yet precise brushstrokes together with the slight S-shaped branch convey vitality. The inscription is a poem written by the artist, commenting on the lovely color and melancholic aura of the crab apple blossom. Shen Zhou is the founder of the Wu School, a group of scholars and officials active around Suzhou in eastern China, known for practicing painting and calligraphy in a refined and elegant style.
Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.
A detail to notice
Shen Zhou painted this is an informal and rapidly done presentation picture when he was 74 years old.
Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Read the dimensions before the image
The selected painting measurement for Flowering Crab Apple is 28.5 cm wide and 87 cm high, equivalent to approximately 11.2 × 34.3 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.33:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.25 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 9.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 135.8 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 Flowering Crab Apple in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, hanging scroll, ink on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.
- Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
- Would a 28.5 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?
Explore physical scale
How large would this format feel on your wall?
Use this museum work’s recorded format as a reference. Adjust a blank wall and optional frame allowance to compare proportions. The museum painting is an educational reference and is not for sale here.
Calculation: outside width = recorded width + twice your frame allowance. This is a proportion study, not an installation assessment. It excludes furniture, hardware, load capacity, depth and delivery clearance. The display image may include margins absent from the recorded measurement.
Compare formats with the studio collection
These Lei-Kol works have the closest width-to-height ratios in the current catalog. This is a geometry comparison, not a claim of artistic similarity, equivalent value, or association with the museum artist.
| Painting | Width × height | Format ratio | USD catalog price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheesecake | 24 × 48 in | 0.50:1 | $1,099 |
| Riptide | 24 × 48 in | 0.50:1 | $1,199 |
| Graffiti | 30 × 48 in | 0.63:1 | $2,199 |
Availability and delivery costs must be confirmed for the individual order.
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Shen Zhou (Chinese, 1427–1509) · hanging scroll, ink on paper
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Landscape
Artist not recorded · handscroll; ink and slight color on silk
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