Artwork

南宋 佚名 春山曛暮圖 團扇|Early spring landscape

南宋  佚名  春山曛暮圖   團扇|Early spring landscape, ink, 1250
南宋  佚名  春山曛暮圖   團扇|Early spring landscape, ink, 1250

南宋 佚名 春山曛暮圖 團扇|Early spring landscape is an ink painting. It dates from 1250 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This artwork, titled Early Spring Landscape, originates from China's Southern Song dynasty (1127 1279).

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work is a Southern Song dynasty landscape painting that depicts a natural scene featuring trees, consistent with the genre conventions of the period.

The work is a Southern Song dynasty landscape painting that depicts a natural scene featuring trees, consistent with the genre conventions of the period. As a fan leaf mounted as an album leaf, the composition focuses on the depiction of a tree within a broader landscape setting. The imagery aligns with the title's reference to early spring, suggesting a seasonal representation of nature.

While the specific symbolic meaning is not detailed in the available records, the inclusion of trees in such landscapes typically reflects an appreciation for the natural world and the changing seasons. The anonymous artist's focus on these elements highlights the aesthetic values of the era, where the interplay between flora and the environment was central to artistic expression.

Technique & Style

Created circa 1250, this work is a landscape painting executed in ink and colour on silk. The original support was a circular fan, which has subsequently been remounted as an album leaf for preservation and display. The composition features a tree within a landscape setting, characteristic of the Southern Song dynasty style.

Physically, the object measures approximately 24.8 cm in height and 26 cm in width. As an anonymous production from China, the piece exemplifies the technical mastery of silk painting during this period, utilising traditional brushwork and pigment application to render its naturalistic scene.

History & Provenance

Created in the mid-thirteenth century during the Southern Song dynasty, this landscape fan painting is attributed to an unknown artist. The work, executed in ink and colour on silk, depicts a scene featuring trees and was originally fashioned as a round fan before being remounted as an album leaf. It measures 24.8 cm in height and 26 cm in width.

While the specific commissioning patron remains unidentified, the piece is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The artwork originates from China and represents the landscape genre of its era.

Context

Created around 1250, the Early Spring Landscape fan leaf stands as a significant example of anonymous Southern Song dynasty landscape painting. Housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this work exemplifies the period's mastery of silk-based ink and colour techniques within a compact format. Although the specific artist remains unidentified, the piece reflects the broader artistic achievements of 13th-century China, where landscape imagery often emphasised atmospheric depth and naturalistic detail.

The painting's attribution to the Southern Song era places it within a critical transitional phase of Chinese art history, characterised by refined brushwork and a focus on intimate, poetic vistas. Its preservation as a mounted album leaf highlights the historical practice of repurposing fan paintings for scholarly albums.

Overview

This artwork, titled Early Spring Landscape, originates from China's Southern Song dynasty (1127

1279). Created by an unknown artist, it was originally a circular fan that has since been mounted as an album leaf. The painting employs ink and subtle colors on a silk ground, depicting a tranquil natural scene. Its age and cultural origin contribute to its significance as an example of early Chinese landscape painting.

南宋  佚名  洞天論道圖   團扇|Conversation in a cave
南宋 佚名 洞天論道圖 團扇|Conversation in a cave, Ma Yuan

Artist & collection

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see 南宋 佚名 春山曛暮圖 團扇|Early spring landscape?

南宋 佚名 春山曛暮圖 團扇|Early spring landscape is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 南宋 佚名 春山曛暮圖 團扇|Early spring landscape?

南宋 佚名 春山曛暮圖 團扇|Early spring landscape is associated with Song dynasty landscape.