Message #48226

[cshapiro]

Dear Ming,

Mine is dated 1920, and the similarities to your bottle are such that I wouldn't rule out it being by Ye the Elder. If Ye Zhongsan died in 1945 at the age of 77 (as suggested in the Apricot Grove Studio book) then he would have been 65 in 1933 and his work may have suffered from bad eyesight and hands not as steady as in his youth - which could account for the slight differences in the quality of the work. I cannot find reference to when he actually stopped painting but 1933 would have been a difficult time (1937-1949 being the worst where production completely stopped).

Also I had this reference in the notes on my bottle, so wanted to share it with you.
Reference from the Met Museum: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/view?exhibitionId=%7B85e163c8-e2b5-410e-b4cb-bba05e10fa9b%7D&oid=53459&pkgids=225&pg=0&rpp=100&pos=74&ft=%2A&offset=100