Who painted 元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees?

元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees was painted by Luo Zhichuan in early 14th century.

Where can I see 元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees?

元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees?

元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees

Luo Zhichuan , 1315

元羅稚川古木寒鴉圖軸|Crows in Old Trees is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Luo Zhichuan. It dates from 1315 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1973.121.6
Credit line: Ex coll.: C. C. Wang Family, Purchase, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, by exchange, 1973

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Crows in Old Trees is a landscape painting depicting birds among old trees.

Crows in Old Trees is a landscape painting depicting birds among old trees. The work's subject, as captured in its title, centers on crows (or ravens) gathered in leafless or weathered trees, a motif rooted in the Chinese tradition of "寒鴉" (han ya, "cold crows"). Such imagery typically evokes the bleak atmosphere of late autumn or winter, with the bare branches and dark birds conveying solitude, desolation, and a meditative stillness.

The pairing of gaunt trees with crows also carried symbolic overtones of endurance and the melancholy beauty of nature in its dormant phase, themes frequently explored in Yuan-dynasty literati painting.

Beyond its seasonal mood, the painting reflects the Yuan-period taste for restrained, ink-driven landscapes in which natural motifs stand in for the artist's inner sentiments, with the somber crows serving as a focal point of quiet contemplation within an otherwise austere landscape.

Technique & Style

Created in 1315, this hanging scroll employs ink and color applied on a silk support. The work functions as a landscape painting, formally characterized by its depiction of trees and birds. As a product of Yuan dynasty artistic practice, the piece utilizes traditional materials consistent with the period's hanging scroll format.

History & Provenance

Created in 1315 by the Chinese artist Luo Zhichuan, who was active during the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, this hanging scroll depicts birds resting in old trees. The work was executed in ink and color on silk within China. It currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessioned under the catalogue number 1973.120.2.

The painting has been exhibited in the exhibition "The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty" held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2010.

Overview

Luo Zhichuan's Crows in Old Trees, created in 1315, is a hanging scroll rendered with ink and subtle color on silk. This painting presents a stark landscape featuring ancient, gnarled trees and a gathering of crows. It exemplifies the contemplative approach to nature often found in Chinese painting from the Yuan dynasty, inviting viewers to observe a quiet moment in the natural world.

元吳鎮高節凌雲圖軸|Bamboo, old tree, and rock, Wu Zhen

Artist & collection

Artist

Luo Zhichuan

Luo Zhichuan; was a Chinese landscape painter during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). His specific dates of birth and death are not known.

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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