Calligraphy Album

ClassificationsPrinted Materials-books

Date1644-1911

Made AtChina, Asia

MediumWood, paper and ink

Dimensions11 3/4 × 7 7/8 × 1 1/4 in. (29.8 × 20 × 3.2 cm)

Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Object number2014.9.2.1

DescriptionAlbums were used as a common way to view calligraphy and painting in China. Their use can be dated back to the Tang Dynasty. Albums are comprised of a series of leaves by a single artist. They could also contain works by several different artists all related to one central theme. There were three common mounting styles: butterfly, thatched-window, and accordion, as seen in this example. The accordion mounting style was typically used for albums that contained many leaves. Albums usually have an even number of pages, blank leaves at the beginning and end, and stiff paper or wood as covers, which conveys the appearance of a book. The paintings contained in albums were small, so great skill and talent was required to depict small-scale detailed images.

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