Artwork
清 朱耷 (八大山人) 山水圖 冊|Landscape album
清 朱耷 (八大山人) 山水圖 冊|Landscape album is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Bada Shanren. It dates from 1699 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
You’ll notice the artist’s signature hidden in the rocks, a playful trick common in his work.
This ink painting shows a simple mountain scene with jagged peaks and sparse trees. The brushstrokes are bold yet controlled, one stroke here makes a whole cliff. You’ll notice the artist’s signature hidden in the rocks, a playful trick common in his work.
Bada Shanren painted this in 1699, late in life. The album’s twelve leaves feel quiet but full of energy. His style feels both old and fresh, like he’s speaking in an ancient language.
Want to see more? Look up Bada Shanren.
Technique & Style
Created in 1699, this landscape album by Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) consists of twelve leaves executed in ink and color on paper. The work is classified as a landscape painting depicting mountainous scenery, characteristic of the artist's genre. Each leaf measures approximately 18.7 cm in height and 23.2 cm in width.
Produced in China, the album represents a significant example of late seventeenth-century Chinese painting techniques, utilizing traditional paper supports with applied ink and pigments. The physical dimensions and material composition reflect standard formats for album leaves of this period, allowing for intimate viewing while maintaining structural integrity.
History & Provenance
The work, titled Landscape album, was created by Zhu Da (Bada Shanren) in 1699 as part of a twelve‑leaf album of ink and color on paper. It belongs to the genre of landscape painting and depicts a mountain. The album entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display.
Its creation is dated to the late Qing period, with the work produced in China. No earlier owners are recorded, and the piece has been part of the museum’s holdings since its acquisition, reflecting its current provenance and location.
Overview
This album, titled Landscape album (山水圖 冊), was created by the Chinese painter Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) in 1699. Comprising twelve leaves rendered in ink and color on paper, the work presents a series of mountain scenes. Executed late in the artist's life, the album conveys a sense of quiet contemplation while simultaneously possessing a dynamic energy through its distinctive brushwork.
Subject & Meaning
The album primarily features stark mountain landscapes, characterized by jagged peaks and sparsely depicted trees. Each leaf offers a distilled view of nature, emphasizing the raw forms of the environment. The simplicity of the compositions invites a meditative engagement, reflecting a common theme in traditional Chinese landscape painting, yet rendered with Bada Shanren's unique intensity.
Artist & collection
