快雪時晴図-巻首-趙孟頫
Reading from right to left, these four bold characters—'Fast Snow, Then Clear'—headline one of China's most famous ancient 'text messages.' Originally penned by calligraphy sage Wang Xizhi in the 4th century as a quick note to a friend after a sudden snowstorm, the phrase became a legendary masterpiece. This specific scroll frontispiece appears to be written by the Yuan dynasty master Huang Gongwang (courtesy name Ziju), referencing the great calligrapher Zhao Mengfu (Zi'ang) in the smaller side text. The crowded red seals along the borders tell a story of royal obsession; the Qianlong Emperor loved this phrase so much he built a special hall in Beijing just to house the original rubbing.
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