Who painted 清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents?

清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents was painted by Huang Xiangjian in Dated 1656.

Where can I see 清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents?

清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents?

清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents

Huang Xiangjian , 1656

清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊|A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Huang Xiangjian. It dates from 1656 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

Produced in China, the album utilizes traditional monochromatic ink techniques on a paper support to render its scenic subjects.

Executed in 1656, this work comprises an album of fourteen leaves created with ink on paper. The pieces function as landscape paintings, specifically depicting mountainous terrain. While attributed to Huang Xiangjian in some records, other descriptions identify the creator as an anonymous painter.

The individual leaves measure approximately 39.4 cm in height and 28.9 cm in width. Produced in China, the album utilizes traditional monochromatic ink techniques on a paper support to render its scenic subjects. The format as a multi-leaf album suggests a sequence intended for close, handheld viewing rather than large-scale wall display.

History & Provenance

The album is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is catalogued as an anonymous work with accession number 1973.121.1 (清倣黃向堅尋親紀行圖冊). It was exhibited at the Met in 2019 as part of the display "Celebrating the Arts of China".

Context

The album titled A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents comprises fourteen ink-on-paper leaves dated 1656 and portrays a mountain landscape. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds the work, which is categorized as a landscape painting. Scholarship identifies the creator as Huang Xiangjian, placing the piece within the Qing artistic milieu.

Its subject matter reflects a contemporary literary motif of searching for parental lineage, illustrating the interplay between narrative themes and visual expression in 17th‑century Chinese art. The work’s inclusion in a major museum collection underscores its significance in the historical reception and study of Qing painting.

Overview

Titled "A Journey in Search of the Artist's Parents," this 1656 album by Huang Xiangjian consists of fourteen leaves rendered in ink on paper. The work functions as a visual chronicle of a deeply personal quest, illustrating the artist's travels through various mountainous and natural landscapes. It documents his determined search for his parents, depicted with a distinctive visual simplicity that evokes a sense of continuous motion.

Subject & Meaning

The album narrates a profound personal odyssey undertaken by Huang Xiangjian. Each of the fourteen leaves contributes to the unfolding story of his extensive journey to locate his parents. The artwork serves as a visual diary, meticulously illustrating the diverse natural environments, particularly the challenging mountainous terrains and varied landscapes, encountered during his dedicated and arduous search.