Iffley Church
Calligraphy
1944 (made)
1944 (made)
| Place of origin |
In 1939 Chiang’s Hampstead flat was destroyed during a German bombing raid. He moved to Oxford where he lived for the next 15 years. In 1944 he wrote The Silent Traveller in Oxford. The illustrations show a development in his artistic style, revealing a new naive aesthetic and heightened colour. Along with the illustrations were published poems written in Chinese calligraphy. This poem reads; " Above the distant trees a host of rooks gossip in the sunset ; The little bridge and the running water are like those in my homeland. The chimes of the bells vibrate in pursuit of the rising mist, In the midst of the emerald green lies the ancient church."
Object details
| Object type | |
| Title | Iffley Church (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | ink on paper |
| Brief description | calligraphy, paper, China, 20th century |
| Physical description | calligraphy, paper, China, 21st century |
| Object history | This object was acquired by the V&A Museum subsequently to its loan to the display " The Silent Traveller: Chiang Yee In Britain 1933 – 1955 5 " in the Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art ( 23 April – 9 November 2012). The display explored the creative endeavours of the Chinese artist and writer Chiang Yee (1903 – 1977) during his time in Britain between 1933 and 1955. |
| Summary | In 1939 Chiang’s Hampstead flat was destroyed during a German bombing raid. He moved to Oxford where he lived for the next 15 years. In 1944 he wrote The Silent Traveller in Oxford. The illustrations show a development in his artistic style, revealing a new naive aesthetic and heightened colour. Along with the illustrations were published poems written in Chinese calligraphy. This poem reads; " Above the distant trees a host of rooks gossip in the sunset ; The little bridge and the running water are like those in my homeland. The chimes of the bells vibrate in pursuit of the rising mist, In the midst of the emerald green lies the ancient church." |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.89-2013 |
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| Record created | March 26, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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