PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF MARK S. PRATT STYLE OF WEN RIGUAN (d. 1295)Grapes Ink on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll, absent inscription and seals. 47 1/8 x 17 7/8in (119.7 x 45cm) 佚名 仿溫日觀葡萄圖 水墨紙本 立軸 Grapes were not native to China, but once introduced, the jewel-like fruit quickly evolved as a visual motif across the arts. Renditions solely in monochrome ink were among the most expressive, and depictions of fruiting grape vines is often traced to the 13th century Monk Ziwen, also known as Riguang, who lived at the Manao temple in Hangzhou. The sub-genre further developed in Korea and Japan, and the dynamic interplay of ropey brushwork and graduated tonal washes is well-suited to the versatility of the brush, and the rhythmic cascade of descending branches graces theposition with lively movement. For a recent exploration on the subject of grapes in visual culture see In-Sung Kim (Han) "The Journey to the East: The Motif of Grapes and Grapevines Along the Silkroads" in Acta Via Serica Vol. 3, No. 2, December 2018:107-134