Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Chinese Orthodox School artist Li Xiying. It dates from 1506 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 42.200.8
- Credit line
- Rogers Fund, 1942
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The available records identify the subject matter strictly through these physical representations: the animals, the vehicle, and the natural terrain.
Created in 1506 by Li Xiying, this ink and color miniature on silk presents a landscape scene featuring specific rural elements. The composition explicitly depicts oxen pulling a cart set against a backdrop of mountains. As a work classified within the landscape genre, the imagery focuses on these tangible components of agrarian life rather than abstract allegory.
The available records identify the subject matter strictly through these physical representations: the animals, the vehicle, and the natural terrain.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1506 by Li Xiying, this landscape work is a miniature painting originating from a larger album comprising eleven leaves. The artist employed ink and color pigments applied on a silk support, a traditional medium for Chinese album leaves of this period. Measuring 12.7 by 17.1 centimeters, the piece features a composition depicting oxen, a cart, and mountainous terrain.
As a miniature within an album format, the handling of the brushwork and application of color are scaled to accommodate the small dimensions of the silk ground, characteristic of the genre.
History & Provenance
Created in 1506 by the artist Li Xiying, this ink and color painting on silk originated in China. The work functions as a single miniature leaf within a larger album comprising eleven distinct paintings. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Specific details regarding its original commission or the intermediate chain of ownership prior to the museum's acquisition are not recorded in available sources.
Overview
This untitled miniature, painted by Li Xiying using ink and color on silk, depicts two figures guiding an ox-drawn cart along a challenging mountain route. The small-scale work is one of eleven paintings originally compiled into an album. It captures a moment of human endeavor within a vast natural setting, presenting a scene that evokes both a sense of journey and the quiet grandeur of the landscape.
Context
The portrayal of oxen and mountainous terrain is a recurring motif within East Asian landscape traditions. This painting by Li Xiying participates in a long-standing artistic dialogue that explores the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Such works often invite reflection on themes of travel, perseverance, and the sublime power of the environment, placing this miniature within a rich lineage of visual storytelling.
Artist & collection
