Poems on painting plum blossoms and bamboo 1260

Editor: This piece, held at the Met, is a drawing in ink on paper and textile attributed to Zhao Mengjian, titled "Poems on painting plum blossoms and bamboo," created around 1260. It’s an intense wall of calligraphy. How should we approach interpreting this? Curator: Considering it from a historian’s point of view, the cultural context of calligraphy is very important. It was more than just writing; it was an elite art form connected to the literati class. Who were its consumers, and how did its cultural importance play into politics? Editor: It seems powerful that the text *is* the art, as well as carrying an artistic message. Is there a political message here, too? Curator: Perhaps. Zhao lived during the Song Dynasty, when the literati were highly influential. His calligraphy likely reflects this status. What does it mean when artists wield not only aesthetic power but political clout through their artistic endeavors and the audiences who value such artistic refinement? Editor: It almost seems subversive; something so beautiful being an act of political messaging? Curator: Not subversive per se, but assertive. Art like this reinforced the literati’s power. This piece exists *because* of that dynamic, because of the patronage and the cultural weight afforded to such artistic expressions. Did this new insight help your interpretation? Editor: Absolutely. I hadn’t fully considered the social structure enabling and defining this artwork. Now the beautiful script has become even more powerful for me. Curator: Likewise, reflecting on this reminds me of art's persistent relationship to power.