Artwork
The Nodding Stone Terrace, Tiger Hill, and the Thousand-Man Seat, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Nodding Stone Terrace, Tiger Hill, and the Thousand-Man Seat, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou is an unspecified painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Shen Zhou. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The image thus functions as a visual documentation of key elements of Tiger Hill’s cultural geography, preserved in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.
The painting shows the Nodding Stone Terrace, Tiger Hill, and the Thousand‑Man Seat, three distinct features located on Tiger Hill in Suzhou. Rendered by Shen Zhou in 1500 as part of his series Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, the work records these architectural landmarks alongside a prominent tree, emphasizing the hill’s celebrated landscape. The depicted sites are well‑known historical points within the scenic area, and their inclusion reflects the tradition of portraying iconic locations in Chinese literati painting.
The image thus functions as a visual documentation of key elements of Tiger Hill’s cultural geography, preserved in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.
History & Provenance
The Nodding Stone Terrace, Tiger Hill, and the Thousand‑Man Seat was painted circa 1500 by the Ming artist Shen Zhou as one of the twelve views in his Tiger Hill series. Details of its early ownership and any possible commission are not recorded in the available sources. The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1964, where it is held under accession number 1964.371.5 and remains part of the museum’s collection.
The painting is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it forms part of the museum's collection of Chinese art. Its accession number is 1964.371.5, indicating that it entered the collection in 1964 as the fifth item in that year's accession group. The work was created in China in 1500 by Shen Zhou.
No specific exhibition history beyond its presence in the Cleveland Museum of Art's holdings is documented in the available sources.
Overview
This painting, titled The Nodding Stone Terrace, Tiger Hill, and the Thousand-Man Seat, is part of Shen Zhou's Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou series, created in 1500. The work captures a specific vista of Tiger Hill, a renowned scenic and historical site in Suzhou, China. It is currently housed in The Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a significant example of Ming dynasty landscape painting.
Technique & Style
Shen Zhou rendered this scene with a simple, yet expressive, monochromatic ink style. Subtle gradations of ink create depth and texture, defining the contours of the hill, the foliage, and the architectural elements. This restrained palette and delicate shading exemplify the artist's refined approach to landscape painting, emphasizing the inherent beauty and quietude of the natural world.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Shen Zhou spent his life in the Suzhou region of China, where his family’s money and connections mattered more than art, until it did.
Untitled
The Thousand Buddha Hall and the Pagoda of the "Cloudy Cliff" Monastery, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
Untitled
Untitled
明 沈周 溪山秋色圖 卷|明 沈周 溪山秋色圖 卷明 楷書溪山秋色圖 引首|Autumn Colors among Streams and Mountains
明 （倣）沈周 怡松圖 卷|Enjoying the Pines
Distant View of Tiger Hill from the Canal Mooring, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Enlightened Stone Retreat, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
- The Sword Spring, Tiger Hill, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Five Sages Terrace, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Nodding Stone Terrace, Tiger Hill, and the Thousand-Man Seat, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Fool's Spring, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Pine Retreat, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
Distant View of Tiger Hill from the Canal Mooring, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
Cloud-Climbing Pavilion, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
Bamboo Pavilion, Tiger Hill, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Thousand Acres of Clouds, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Fool's Spring, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou
The Five Sages Terrace, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou