Visiting a friend in the mountains

This large scale hanging scroll was probably painted in the second half of the 16th century or the first half of the 17th century at the end of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). It depicts a gentleman accompanied by his servant approaching a cottage in the mountains to pay a visit to a friend. The work is spuriously signed at the bottom right hand corner by Li Zhaodao (active during the Tang dynasty, about AD 670-730) and bears suprious seals and inscriptions of some important connoisseurs, like Ke Jusi (1290-1343) and Wen Zhengming (1470-1559).

The painting is clearly a product of the Ming dynasty and the artist did not make any attempts to imitate a Tang dynasty style. Ming collectors were likely to pay more attention to the authenticating inscriptions and seals on the painting rather than its style, and the forger probably took more care in imitating them than a real Tang work.