Letter 1541 - 1620

Curator: So, here we have "Letter," likely from somewhere between 1541 and 1620, crafted by Jiao Hong. It's ink on paper, and you can find it hanging in the Met. Editor: Yes! It's just, it's a letter. The characters feel so alive, almost dancing on the page. I feel a sense of intimacy and scholarly care within the work, like the artist left behind an authentic glimpse of his practice of language as art. What can you make of the texture and spirit driving Jiao Hong's "Letter?" Curator: I sense that playful approach too, that the act of writing can be a little experimental—perhaps a deeply personal exploration, like an unsent love letter full of wit and intellectual flair. It reminds me of how a musician might riff on a theme. Do you notice the interplay between the strokes? Each character feels deliberate, yet spontaneous. It's the art of restraint meeting unbridled expression! Editor: It definitely does. Do you think that interplay reflects how he thought about balance? Curator: Absolutely! Calligraphy, especially during the Ming dynasty, wasn't just about writing, it was an art form, like painting or sculpture is to other traditions. Balance was key—yin and yang, emptiness and fullness, control and freedom. These characters, how they lean, stretch, and breathe, it speaks volumes, not just about his skill, but his state of mind in the moment. Editor: So cool. Now that I think about it, you can feel his physical motion as the artwork came to being. Almost like abstract dance, right? I would’ve missed so many rich layers looking at this alone. Curator: I’m so glad we could explore this moment from Jiao Hong's mind together. I am looking at it again too through new eyes.