Who painted 明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves?

明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves was painted by Lu Zhi in 1535.

Where can I see 明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves?

明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves?

明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves

Lu Zhi , 1535

明陸治泉壑桃浪圖扇面|Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Lu Zhi. It dates from 1535 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The surrounding brocade of peach-blossom motifs creates a sea-like pattern that both surrounds and enhances the mountain form.

The painting presents a stylized mountain rendered in ink and color on gold paper, framed as a folding-fan leaf. The surrounding brocade of peach-blossom motifs creates a sea-like pattern that both surrounds and enhances the mountain form. In Chinese visual tradition mountains symbolize permanence, stability and scholarly aspiration, while peach blossoms convey transience, renewal and the fleeting nature of worldly beauty.

By merging these elements the work suggests a contemplative dialogue between enduring natural forces and the ephemeral seasonal cycle, reflecting the artist's intent to merge landscape representation with poetic symbolism.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1535, this landscape work by Lu Zhi utilizes ink and mineral pigments applied directly onto gold paper. The support originally functioned as a folding fan but has since been remounted as an album leaf, a conservation practice that preserves the artwork while altering its original handheld format. The composition depicts a mountainous scene, leveraging the reflective quality of the gold ground to enhance the luminosity of the colored waves and peach blossoms.

Measuring approximately 16.5 cm in height and 46.7 cm in width, the piece demonstrates the artist's handling of fine brushwork typical of Ming dynasty fan paintings.

History & Provenance

The folding fan painting titled Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves was created by the Ming dynasty artist Lu Zhi in 1535. Executed in ink and color on gold paper, the work depicts a mountainous landscape and was originally fashioned as a folding fan before being mounted as an album leaf. The piece is held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States.

The specific commission details and chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not detailed in the available documentation.

Context

Lu Zhi created the folding-fan album leaf Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves in 1535, employing ink and color on gold paper to depict a mountainous landscape. The work is classified as a Chinese landscape painting and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. Its genre aligns with contemporary landscape traditions, positioning it within the broader trajectory of Chinese ink painting and illustrating Lu Zhi's role in sustaining landscape motifs during the 16th century.

Overview

Lu Zhi's "Brocaded Sea of Peach Blossom Waves," created in 1535, is a landscape painting originally conceived as a folding fan. Rendered with ink and color on gold paper, the work presents a serene mountain vista. This piece exemplifies the artist's distinctive approach to traditional themes, utilizing an unconventional medium to achieve a unique visual effect.