Scroll Box of Paintings of Travelling on River by Li Xiyuan

A scroll box is used for preserving painting scrolls. Li Xiyuan's Paintings of Travelling on River is preserved in this scroll box. Li Xiyuan was born in the Qing Dynasty. He was dedicated in composition of landscape painting instead of entering politics through his entire life. His painting technique was influenced by his father-in-law Zhou Weigeng and was honored "as clear as ice and as pure as jade". The Paintings of Travelling on River was created by Li Xiyuan at the age of 57 during his travel to the north at the invitation of his younger brother Li Kongchun that worked as a governmental official in Shanxi. According to the journals of Li Xiyuan at the top of the picture, "I bought a boat at the East Gate of Guilin and spent over a month traveling to Wuchang. For the gorgeous mountains and waters that I've seen during the several thousand miles of travelling, I'll try to record them in the form of a painting attached with a poem. The artistic conceptions of poetry and painting would bring out the best in each other in this way. They would be jointly known as the Paintings of Travelling on River". Among the totally 35 paintings, the Painting of Mulong Cave is lost. The other 34 originals are all collected by Yongfu County Museum. You are welcome to appreciate the originals there if interested.