Ancient Wisteria of the Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou - Painted Silk

A Chinese painting on silk depicting cascading white wisteria entwined around an ancient vine, painted in a soft palette of greens, blues and warm neutral tones.

The inscription refers to the celebrated wisteria at the Humble Administrator’s Garden in Suzhou and reads:

拙政園紫藤為文徵明手植距今已四百餘年

“The wisteria in the Humble Administrator’s Garden was planted by Wen Zhengming; more than four hundred years have passed since its planting.”

The inscription refers to Wen Zhengming (1470–1559), the celebrated Ming dynasty painter, calligrapher and scholar associated with Suzhou. It should be understood as recording the traditional attribution of the ancient vine rather than attributing the painting itself to Wen Zhengming.

Signed Zhiguang (之光) with a red seal. Probably late 20th century. Recently reframed.