(translation of inscribed poem in painting)
The blossoms of
that lotus have no fragrance;
Its long stalks
will hold no wine cups.
What may it
become if it drinks not for a hundred years?
The time will
come when it will bear new roots of amber yellow (wine)
Bada Shanren (ZhuDa)
(1626-1705)
(The lotus – a
conventional symbol of purity – (is) a desolate metaphor of the
Middle Kingdom, devoid of fragrance, celebration and life – Zhu Da’s only
consolation is that one day a native dynasty – symbolised by the amber
yellow wine – will emerge and China will be restored. (source: extract of Art Journal 25, National Gallery of
Victoria)
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| "Lotus" (circa 1665) |
