In the Style of Li Gonglin (ca. 1049-1106), The Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden, 17th century or later, Hand scroll, 27 x 268 cm, ink and colors on silkSignature at the end of the scroll: "Painted by Li Boshi". One seal of the artist: Li shi Boshi". In front of and after the painting three colophones, all dated to 1927: "In mid autumn in the year 16 of the Republic, a dingmao year (1927)". Altogether there are nine collector's seals on the painting, of which about six are imitations of Imperial seals, for example of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795): "Ningshougong xuru Shiqubaoji", "shou" etc. The Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden is considered one of the most prominent in Chinese history. Some sixteen of China's greatest literary and artistic geniuses are said to have gathered in a garden in the Song capital Kaifeng in 1087. The painting of Li Gonglin, who participated himself, portraying the participants of that gathering, became an often copied icon of Chinese painting. The scholars are portrayed in groups, the first person of the first group being the famous Song poet Su Shi (1036-1101), towards the end of the scroll the outstanding calligrapher Mi Fu (1052-1107) is depicted writing upon the wall of a cliff. - Property from a South German private collection, acquired in the 1970s and 1980s - Very minor damages due to age