WEN CONGJIAN (1574-1648) Visting FriendsPROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT NEW ENGLAND COLLECTIONWEN CONGJIAN (1574-1648)Visting FriendsHorizontal handscroll, with a calligraphic frontispiece ink on gold fleck paper, signed He Cai (1626-1700), with two of his seals; the painting ink and color on silk, inscribed by the artist and dated xinmao, signed Wen Congjian with an artist's seal and three collector's seals; the painting mounted with two colophons, ink on paper, the first signed Liu Tiren (1620-1684) dated Kangxi guichou (1673) with two of his seals, the second colophon signed Wu Xiqi (1746-1818) dated Jiaqing ba nian (1803), with two of his seals, and three additional collectors' seals. 8 1/4 x 94 1/2in (21 x 240cm), the painting only166in (421.5cm) length overall, including the appended calligraphy文從簡 (1574-1648) 谿山訪友圖 設色絹本 手卷引首：款識：谿山訪友圖，建榮何采題鈐印：臣采畫心：款識：百丈虬松呈變幻，千重雲霧障模糊。玉泉噴雪涇天下，僊客誰知在畫圖。撫先侍詔本，時辛卯仲春上澣，枕煙散人文從簡寫於玉磬山房。鈐印：文從簡印鑒藏印：燕秋過眼Wen Congjian was born in Suzhou into an elite artistic lineage as the great-grandson of Wen Zhengming (1470-1559), and the grandson of Wen Jia (1501-1583). Wen Congjian's daughter was Wen Shu (1595-1634), who inherited the artistic talents of her forebears, although she sadly predeceased her father. Wen Congjian's painting style largely embraces Wu School conventions, as this handscroll attests. In accordance with the culture of the elite in Ming dynasty, Wen Congjian kept a garden. With the Manchu conquest of Suzhou in 1645, Wen Congjian's garden was destroyed, and he went into hiding, passing away a few years later.Liu Tiren was born into a prestigious family in Yingchuan Guard (the present-day Fuyang, Anhui Province) in the late-Ming period. In 1655, he received the jinshi degree, during the reign of the Qing emperor Shunzhi and served as the secretary in the Ministry of Personnel of the Qing court. He was passionate about composing poetry, painting landscapes, and collecting ancient books and manuscripts.Wu Xiqi, a scholar and writer during the early Qing period, was born in Qiantang (Hangzhou). He passed his imperial examination in 1775, and subsequently served as an editor at the Hanlin Academy. Later, he taught at Shangshufang (Palace School), and was eventually promoted to the position of Chancellor at Guozijian (Directorate of Education).