Artefact of the Month
All that Remains
A Painting with Inscriptions
A hanging scroll depicting a small town in an idyllic landscape of lakes and gently rolling hills – it seems to be nothing more than a charming, albeit somewhat bland, Chinese painting. Yet, it tells a story of disaster and loss, of the burning of a library, and the looting and destruction of an art collection. Twelve signed inscriptions and numerous seals on the painting tell a tale of shared grief, of loyalty and friendship, and, finally, of appreciation and commemoration.