Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Chinese Orthodox School artist Liu Yen. It dates from 1506 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work Untitled (1506) is a small album leaf executed in ink and color on silk, measuring approximately 12.
The work Untitled (1506) is a small album leaf executed in ink and color on silk, measuring approximately 12.7 cm by 17.1 cm. It belongs to an album of eleven paintings and was produced in China, reflecting the landscape genre. The composition depicts a building accompanied by equestrian figures, a horse and a mountain, characteristics that align with traditional Chinese landscape motifs. The silk support contributes to a delicate handling and a smooth surface finish, while the use of ink with subtle color washes creates a refined linear and tonal quality typical of early Ming-era painting. The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The album leaf is dated 1506 and attributed to Liu Yen, placing its creation during the Ming dynasty. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its Chinese painting holdings, where it is catalogued as a leaf from an album of eleven paintings in ink and color on silk. The work depicts a landscape scene featuring a building, equestrian figures, a horse, and mountains, consistent with Liu Yen's known subject matter and period style.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded with the accession number 1973.120.1. No additional exhibition history prior to its acquisition is documented in the cited sources.
Overview
This artwork, titled "Untitled," is a miniature painting rendered with ink and color on silk. It depicts a landscape scene featuring mountains, horses, and various structures. As one of eleven paintings originally compiled into an album, this piece was conceived as part of a larger, cohesive collection, intended for private viewing and appreciation rather than public display.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a detailed landscape composition, characterized by towering mountains that dominate the background. Within this natural setting, horses are depicted, alongside architectural elements such as buildings. The careful arrangement of these components suggests an interest in capturing both the grandeur of nature and the presence of human or animal life within it, typical of landscape traditions.
Artist & collection
- Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
Album of Seasonal Landscapes, Leaf B (previous leaf 1)
Untitled
The Peach Blossom Spring 桃花源圖
Landscape
Untitled
Album of Seasonal Landscapes, Leaf B (previous leaf 1)
清 陸漢 山水八開 冊|Eight landscapes
Album of Seasonal Landscapes, Leaf A (previous leaf 4)
明 文嘉 為項元汴作山水圖 軸|Landscape dedicated to Xiang Yuanbian
