Who painted 南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin?

南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin was painted by Ma Hezhi in mid-12th century.

Where can I see 南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin?

南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin?

南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin is associated with Song dynasty landscape.

Artwork

南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin

Ma Hezhi , 1150

南宋馬和之詩經豳風圖卷|Odes of the State of Bin is an ink painting by the Song dynasty landscape artist Ma Hezhi. It dates from 1150 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1973.121.3
Credit line: Ex coll.: C. C. Wang Family, Purchase, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, by exchange, 1973

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition combines ink, colour, and metallic accents on silk, characteristic of Southern Song court painting.

The handscroll by Ma Hezhi, dated to 1150, portrays a solitary figure set within an idealised landscape that illustrates the 'Bin' section of the Shijing (Classic of Poetry). The composition combines ink, colour, and metallic accents on silk, characteristic of Southern Song court painting. The depicted man, rendered in a modest pose amid stylised hills and vegetation, functions as the narrative focal point of the poetic scene, embodying the rustic simplicity and moral resonance associated with the ode.

The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, accessioned as a landscape painting from China.

Technique & Style

Created around 1150 by the Southern Song artist Ma Hezhi, this work is executed as a handscroll. The piece utilizes silk as its primary support, adorned with ink and color pigments. Distinctively, the artist incorporated gold and silver into the composition, adding metallic luminosity to the landscape scenes and figural elements.

As a landscape painting depicting men within natural settings, the scroll exemplifies the genre conventions of its time through its specific material choices and format. The combination of traditional ink and color with precious metals on silk characterizes the technical approach attributed to this specific masterpiece held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

Attributed to the Southern Song dynasty painter Ma Hezhi, this handscroll depicting the Odes of the State of Bin is dated to approximately 1150. Executed in ink, color, gold, and silver on silk, the work originated in China. While specific details regarding its original commission or early ownership chain are not provided in the available records, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The work represents a landscape genre piece featuring human figures, consistent with Ma Hezhi's known output during the mid-twelfth century.

The handscroll is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded as part of the Museum’s holdings. The work was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its permanent collection display of Chinese paintings, though no specific temporary exhibition record is cited in the available sources.

Overview

This handscroll, titled Odes of the State of Bin, was created by Ma Hezhi around 1150 during the Southern Song dynasty. Executed with ink, color, gold, and silver on silk, the painting presents a serene landscape. Within this expansive setting, small figures are depicted navigating misty blue mountains and trees adorned with gold leaf, characteristic of the scroll's delicate and detailed composition.