Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Ni Yuanlu in 16th–mid-17th century.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

Untitled

Ni Yuanlu , 1618

Untitled is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Ni Yuanlu. It dates from 1618 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1989.363.120
Credit line: Bequest of John M. Crawford Jr., 1988

About this work

Subject & Meaning

This 1618 hanging scroll is a landscape painting in ink on silk that depicts clouds. The work belongs to the landscape genre, and clouds are the specifically identified subject within the composition. Beyond this elemental focus, the sources provide no further iconographic or symbolic interpretation of the imagery or its meaning.

Technique & Style

The work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink on silk, a support typical of Chinese painting of the early 17th century.

The work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink on silk, a support typical of Chinese painting of the early 17th century. Its medium is ink, applied in a landscape format that emphasizes atmospheric space and a solitary cloud motif. The composition reflects the landscape genre, with minimal brushwork that suggests depth through varying ink tones.

The scroll was created in China in 1618 and is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.

History & Provenance

Created in 1618 in China, this hanging scroll executed in ink on silk is attributed to Ni Yuanlu. The work depicts clouds within a landscape composition and entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No specific details regarding its commission or intermediate ownership history prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the available records.

Overview

Untitled, a hanging scroll painted in 1618 by Ni Yuanlu, presents a monochrome landscape rendered in ink on silk. The composition stretches vertically, with muted gray clouds occupying the upper third and stark, angular black mountains emerging from the lower edge. The work exemplifies the literati tradition of the late Ming period, where brushwork serves as a conduit for personal expression rather than mere representation.