Ink painting of lake landscape with ancient temples and a long flat bridge.  Distant sails are glimpsed on the horizon.  Self-inscription by the artist in the upper left reads:

On the lake the rains have cleared but the mists have not yet retreated,
Heaven and fresh water mix in a proper course;
By chance I dabble in old ink to express my exhilaration,
And managed to paint the autumn scenery of Mount Wu.
(Signed) Wen Chia.
2 seals: Wen Chia yin, Wen Hsiu-cheng yin.

The Literati masters of the Wu (Su-chou) School of painting often painted scenes around Stone Lake as one of the famous sights of Suchou, as it had once been the home of Fan Cheng-ta of the Sung dynasty.  Wen Chia's use of ink is ordinarily dry and scrubby.  But this album leaf exhibits much use of water.  Foreground trees and distant hills are done in a wash, and the use of inkwash is particularly remarkable.  The brushwork is easy and swift, without seeking minutiae.  People have called Tien-chih (Wen Chia)'s works "ink plays".  This work must certainly be counted among the foremost exemplars of the type.

In the middle there is an inscription by Wen Peng in semi-cursive script:

Spring has come, which spot in Chiang-nan is the most beautiful?
The landscape of Stone Lake opens up vistas in paintings;
new reeds and slender willow now turn green,
Water fowl and cormorants come in all numbers.
(Signed) Wen Peng.  1 seal: Wen Shou-cheng shih.

In the upper right, the Chien-lung Emperor Kao-tsung inscribes in semi-cursive script:

In spring the Chih-ping temple by the water's edge
is approached by the familiar old footpath.
Now that I've become accustomed to Spring light,
Soughing, Autumn colours sweep into my vision.
1 seal: Chi-wu

This is the 10th leaf in the album "Ming-hua Lin-lang".

Wen Chia (1501 - 1583) was a native of Chang-chou in Chiangsu Province and the second son of Wen Cheng-ming.  His tzu was Hsiu-cheng and his hao Wen-shui.  He excelled in poetry, calligraphy, painting and was distinguished for his landscape paintings.  His brushwork was sparse and refined, surpassing in harmonic resonance.  He was born during the Hung-chih reign and died during the Wan-li reign in his 83rd year.