The Four Accomplishmentsc. 1620–50 · Study 1985.269

Context from the museum

This painting shows a woman playing a koto, a type of stringed instrument; a pair playing a board game called Go; a man deep in a book; and a boy painting an image of flowers. The group of fashionably dressed figures is set in and around a cozy residence, their poses conveying a sense of carefree pleasure. The scene is a playful response to a theme derived from Chinese culture that presents four notable pastimes of well-educated people.

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

A detail to notice

The small, golden jar holds water to mix with the youth's ink for his painting.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for The Four Accomplishments is 51.3 cm wide and 115.9 cm high, equivalent to approximately 20.2 × 45.6 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.44:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.59 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 17.1% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 124.3 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 The Four Accomplishments 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, color, and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 51.3 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?