Artwork
元 佚名 仕女像 軸|Portrait of a Lady
元 佚名 仕女像 軸|Portrait of a Lady is an ink painting by the Yuan dynasty literati painting artist Li Gonglin. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This anonymous hanging scroll, titled Portrait of a Lady, dates to the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) and was created in 1334.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is a hanging scroll portrait executed in ink on silk around 1334 in China.
The work is a hanging scroll portrait executed in ink on silk around 1334 in China. It shows an unnamed woman, rendered in the style of Li Gonglin or an unidentified artist, and is classified as a portrait within the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. As a portrait, the painting functions to depict a specific female sitter, emphasizing her presence through conventional likeness rather than symbolic attributes.
The composition and medium reflect typical Song‑era hanging‑scroll practices, while the subject’s anonymity underscores the work’s focus on the representation of a lady rather than a named individual.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1334, this Yuan dynasty work is a hanging scroll created with ink applied to a silk support. The piece functions as a portrait depicting a single female figure. While specific details regarding the artist's brush handling, the current physical condition of the silk, or distinct stylistic mannerisms are not elaborated upon in the available records, the fundamental material composition is established as monochromatic ink on textile.
The format adheres to the traditional vertical hanging scroll classification typical of East Asian painting traditions of the period.
History & Provenance
The work titled 元 佚名 仕女像 軸|Portrait of a Lady is an anonymous Chinese hanging scroll painted in ink on silk, dated to 1334. It depicts a woman in portrait format and belongs to the genre of Chinese portraiture. The piece was created in China and later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as accession number 29.100.476.
Its attribution to an unidentified artist, possibly Li Gonglin, reflects the limited documentation of anonymous court painters of the period. Provenance records indicate continuous ownership by the Met since acquisition, with no evidence of prior private commissions.
The Portrait of a Lady is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under the accession number 29.100.476. The work, dated to 1334, is part of the museum's painting collection and is attributed to an anonymous Yuan-dynasty artist. No exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Context
The anonymous work known as 元 佚名 仕女像 軸|Portrait of a Lady, dated 1334, exemplifies Yuan‑period hanging‑scroll portraiture in ink on silk. Its classification as a portrait within the genre of Chinese figure painting is documented in the catalogue entry, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art lists it as part of its collection, underscoring its recognized significance (1,2). As an anonymous piece, it reflects the broader tradition of courtly and literati portraiture where the artist’s identity was often secondary to the representation of refined female subjects.
Scholars view such works as key markers of stylistic continuity from the Southern Song through the early Ming, positioning this piece at the intersection of technical mastery and cultural ideals of femininity in 14th‑century Chinese art.
Overview
This anonymous hanging scroll, titled Portrait of a Lady, dates to the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) and was created in 1334. Executed in ink on silk, the painting presents a solitary female figure. It exemplifies the refined aesthetic often found in Chinese portraiture of the period, focusing on subtle detail and a serene presence within a minimalist setting.
Artist & collection
