Artwork
南宋 佚名 泛舟柳塘圖 團扇|Boating by a Willow Bank
南宋 佚名 泛舟柳塘圖 團扇|Boating by a Willow Bank is an ink painting. It dates from 1249 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This artwork, titled Boating by a Willow Bank, is an anonymous painting from the Southern Song dynasty.
- Accession no.
- 47.18.137
About this work
A boat drifts on a river, with trees and hills behind. Simple lines and soft color make a peaceful scene, and the few figures aboard add a touch of life. Painted on silk as a fan, later mounted as an album leaf, around 1249.
Subject & Meaning
The depiction of a boat on a river, recorded in the work’s cataloguing data, underscores the cultural motif of travel and contemplation in Chinese art.
The painting presents a solitary boat navigating a river, set within a landscape composition that includes willow trees along the bank. As a Southern Song work classified as a landscape painting, it reflects the period’s emphasis on natural scenery and the scholarly appreciation of tranquil riverine settings. The anonymous artist rendered the scene with ink and subtle color on silk, mounting the fan as an album leaf, a format that allowed intimate viewing of nature’s quiet moments.
The depiction of a boat on a river, recorded in the work’s cataloguing data, underscores the cultural motif of travel and contemplation in Chinese art.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in ink and polychrome pigments on silk, applied to a fan that was later mounted as an album leaf, a format typical of Southern Song portable artworks. Its support consists of a silk ground prepared for mounting, and the work measures approximately 39.4 cm in both height and width. The composition depicts a small boat navigating a river flanked by willow trees, arranged in a balanced vertical layout that emphasizes the gentle flow of water and the subtle gradations of ink wash.
As a landscape painting, it exemplifies the refined brushwork and restrained color palette characteristic of 13th‑century Chinese landscape art.
History & Provenance
Created in China in 1249, this ink and color painting on silk was executed by an anonymous artist of the Southern Song dynasty. Originally fashioned as a circular fan, the work was subsequently mounted as an album leaf. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
While the specific circumstances of its original commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not recorded in the available data, its classification as a landscape genre work depicting a boat and river remains consistent across records.
Overview
This artwork, titled Boating by a Willow Bank, is an anonymous painting from the Southern Song dynasty. Rendered in ink and color on silk, it was originally a round fan that has since been mounted as an album leaf. The composition depicts a serene landscape featuring a boat on a river, framed by distant hills and lush trees, evoking a tranquil atmosphere characteristic of the period's aesthetic.
Context
Originally conceived as a functional round fan, this artwork was later preserved by being mounted as an album leaf, a common practice for valued paintings. While the artist remains unidentified, the style aligns with landscape traditions prevalent during the Southern Song dynasty. Similar depictions of serene river scenes and leisurely boating can be found in collections such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, illustrating a broader artistic interest in such themes.
Artist & collection
