One of China’s oldest paintings goes on display in London

Admonitions of the Court Instructress goes on display for only six weeks this summer at the British Museum in London

Weaving your way through the British Museum’s seemingly endless midsummer crowds is a tiring endeavour. Most would advise avoiding it. However, it is worth it to see China’s famous silk-painted scroll Admonitions of the Court Instructress.

A masterpiece of Chinese art, the Admonitions of the Court Instructress is a long silk scroll painted with scenes from a Jin Dynasty (266-420 AD) poem advising court ladies how they should act.

Due to conservation reasons, the painting is only shown to the public six weeks each year. This year, you can view it from Monday 8 July – Sunday 18 August at the British Museum in London.

The Admonitions of the Court Instructress. Image by Robert Postings.

Displayed in room 99a, more Mandarin than English can be heard in the queue waiting to enter the scrolls exhibition room. Many Chinese visitors come to view the painting that was removed from their country over 100 years ago.

It was believed taken from China around 1900, ending up in the hands of British Captain Clarence Johnson. When he approached the British Museum to sell the piece for the value of its jade handle after returning to the UK in 1902, the museum curators bought it for £25. The equivalent of just £2,250 today.

Looking through the alarmed glass at the scroll, elbow to elbow with other visitors crowding in to see this work, is perhaps not the most relaxing environment to see this unique historical work.

But peering down, even with time leaving the painting faded and marked, its beauty is clear.

Originally made up of 12 scenes, only nine have survived to the present day. Most remarkable is a scene depicting Lady Feng, a consort of Emperor Yuan (48–33 BC), jumping in the path of a bear to protect the emperor.

Lady Feng protecting the Emporer. Image by Robert Postings.

The scroll was traditionally attributed to the famous Chinese painter Gu Kaizhi (about AD 345–406). It is more likely painted by another painter between 400-700 AD.

At only 25cm tall, do not head into this exhibition expecting a grand wall-hanging scroll you might have seen before. Its beauty far outweighs its size, however, as does its historical significance.

In the years since it was first painted, successive Chinese collectors have added to the Admonitions. Making the work a living historical artifact.

It was common to add a red seal in some location on a painting to mark possession of a work. The Admonitions beauty has also led collectors to go far beyond this. Adding new paintings to the edge of the scroll and extensive calligraphy.

Notably, Qianlong Emperor (1736–1795) remounted the scroll in a new case, added calligraphy, and a painting by Zou Yigui (1686–1772).

If you are unable to make the exhibition, or wish to see more details of the work, tucked away in the corner behind a column of British museums China gallery (gallery 33), by the entrance to the Jade gallery (gallery 33b) is an interactive screen showing all the details of the scroll.

It is worth the effort, however, to see the wonderful Admonitions of the Court Instructress in person while you have the chance.

The Emporor rejecting a courtisan. Image by Haoxuezi Tian.