Who painted 清童鈺浸月圖軸|Drenched in Moonlight?

清童鈺浸月圖軸|Drenched in Moonlight was painted by Tong Yu in 18th century.

Where can I see 清童鈺浸月圖軸|Drenched in Moonlight?

清童鈺浸月圖軸|Drenched in Moonlight is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清童鈺浸月圖軸|Drenched in Moonlight?

清童鈺浸月圖軸|Drenched in Moonlight is associated with Baroque.

清　童鈺　浸月圖　軸|Drenched in Moonlight by Tong Yu (18th century)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1775 by the Qing dynasty artist Tong Yu, this hanging scroll presents a landscape composition centered on two primary elements: the moon and flowers.

Created in 1775 by the Qing dynasty artist Tong Yu, this hanging scroll presents a landscape composition centered on two primary elements: the moon and flowers. The work's title, Drenched in Moonlight, suggests an atmospheric focus on nocturnal illumination, where the celestial body serves as the defining light source for the scene. While specific botanical varieties are not detailed in available records, the inclusion of flora alongside the moon establishes a classic poetic dialogue between the earthly and the celestial.

The iconography relies on the interplay of ink washes to evoke the sensation of being immersed in moonlight, transforming a simple natural view into a meditative representation of night. The painting functions as a visual embodiment of its title, capturing the quiet stillness and ethereal quality of a flower garden under the glow of the moon.

Technique & Style

Drenched in Moonlight is executed in monochrome ink on paper and mounted as a hanging scroll, a format that emphasizes its vertical orientation. The composition measures 126 by 29.8 centimeters, adopting a narrow, elongated proportion typical of Chinese literati landscape scrolls intended for intimate viewing. Tong Yu's brushwork is restricted to ink alone, relying on tonal modulation rather than color to evoke the moonlit scene of flowers beneath a luminous moon.

The restrained palette and calligraphic handling of ink are consistent with Qing-dynasty monochrome landscape practice, while the slender support concentrates the viewer's attention on the interplay of void and ink-wash forms.

History & Provenance

Created in 1775 by the Qing dynasty artist Tong Yu, the hanging scroll titled Drenched in Moonlight was executed in ink on paper. The work, which measures 126 cm in height and 29.8 cm in width, originates from China and depicts a landscape featuring a moon and flowers. Currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece represents a specific moment in Tong Yu's career during the late eighteenth century.

While the specific commissioning patron and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum are not detailed in the available records, the work's creation date is firmly established as 1775. The painting remains a significant example of Qing landscape art within the museum's holdings.

The hanging scroll Drenched in Moonlight by Tong Yu, dated 1775, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, an ink-on-paper landscape depicting the moon and flowers, measures 126 cm in height and 29.8 cm in width. While the provided sources confirm its location at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and its creation in China in 1775, they do not contain specific accession numbers, inventory identifiers, or a record of past exhibitions for this piece.

Consequently, the institutional holding is established, but detailed provenance data regarding acquisition numbers or exhibition history remains absent from the available documentation.

Overview

Drenched in Moonlight (浸月圖) is a landscape painting by the artist Tong Yu, created in 1775. Executed with ink on paper as a hanging scroll, the work presents a solitary branch of flowers. The composition subtly evokes a nocturnal scene, where the natural elements are bathed in the ethereal glow of moonlight. This piece exemplifies traditional Chinese painting techniques applied to a focused natural subject.