Who painted 清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home?

清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home was painted by Shitao in ca. 1695.

Where can I see 清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home?

清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home?

清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home

Shitao , 1695

清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Shitao. It dates from 1695 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The specific focus on the boat within the landscape genre suggests a narrative of travel or journey, aligning with the title's implication of a return voyage.

Created in 1695 by the artist Shitao (Zhu Ruoji), this album consists of twelve leaves executed in ink and color on paper. The work is classified as a landscape painting, with the boat serving as the primary depicted subject. As an album produced in China during the Qing dynasty, the imagery centers on the theme of returning home, utilizing the vessel as the central iconographic element within the natural setting.

The specific focus on the boat within the landscape genre suggests a narrative of travel or journey, aligning with the title's implication of a return voyage.

Technique & Style

The work is an album of twelve leaves executed in ink and color on paper, dating to 1695 in China. As a landscape painting it belongs to the genre of Chinese literati scenery and centers on a solitary boat, a motif that conveys both narrative and symbolic resonance. The support consists of individual paper leaves bound together, allowing sequential viewing, while the application of layered ink washes combined with subtle pigment washes creates a delicate tonal gradation typical of Shitao’s brushwork. The composition balances expansive sky, distant foliage, and a modest vessel, emphasizing spatial depth through layered perspective.

History & Provenance

The work titled 清石濤 (朱若極) 歸棹冊紙本|Returning Home is an album of twelve leaves executed in ink and color on paper, depicting a boat. It was created in 1695 in China by the artist Shitao (also known as Zhu Ruoji). According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the album is part of their collection (accession numbers 1976.280a–n) and has been housed in the museum since at least 1976.

The piece is classified as a landscape painting and is documented in both scholarly catalogues and the museum's records, confirming its provenance, dating, and creation context.

The album Returning Home by Shitao (Zhu Ruoji), dated 1695, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Within the museum's records, the work is identified by the accession number 1976.280a–n, reflecting its format as an album comprising twelve leaves. The institution classifies the piece as a painting within the landscape genre, executed in ink and color on paper.

While the provided documentation confirms the work's location and specific inventory designation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, no details regarding its exhibition history or prior provenance are included in the available sources.

Overview

This work, titled Returning Home (歸棹), was created by the artist Shitao (Zhu Ruoji) around 1695. It is one of twelve leaves from an album, executed with ink and color on paper. The painting presents a serene landscape focused on a solitary boat, characteristic of the artist's contemplative approach to natural scenes.

Context

As a Buddhist monk, Shitao adopted a spiritual perspective that influenced his art. His chosen artistic name, "Stone Wave," symbolizes a connection to both enduring natural elements and fluid movement, echoing the themes often found in his landscapes. The album format allowed him to explore a series of interconnected yet distinct natural vistas, each offering a meditative pause.