Portrait of Du Jun

This relaxed portrait is of Du Jun, a Chinese scholar who lived from 1611 to 1687—so he survived a tumultuous time in Chinese history that saw the collapse of the Ming dynasty in 1644 and its replacement by the Manchu-ruled Qing dynasty. The pine tree depicted here is a symbol of resistance as well as lofty ideals and alludes to his character. He was a respected figure in the city of Nanjing, his home for more than four decades.