Embracing a Zither Qin, in the Manner of Li Gonglin

The young lady holding a qin, a stringed instrument, and dressed in a graceful garment with layers of fluttering shawls and an embroidered panel can be identified as a musician. Playing the qin was one ancient form of entertainment; it was practiced by both men and women, especially women of the upper class, entertainers, and courtesans. Placing a standing figure against an empty backdrop was characteristic of early figure paintings. As verified in his inscription on the painting, the artist copied the brushwork of the Song-dynasty painter Li Gonglin (1049–1106).