Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by After Emperor Gaozong in 1120.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Song dynasty painting.

Artwork

Untitled

After Emperor Gaozong , 1120

Untitled is an ink painting by the Song dynasty painting artist After Emperor Gaozong. It dates from 1120 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This hand‑scroll, executed in ink and color on silk, presents a mythological scene centered on two dragons.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The imagery represents the traditional iconography associated with the dragon, a symbol of power and authority often linked to imperial themes.

The work depicts a dragon, a primary figure in Chinese mythology. As a handscroll executed in ink and color on silk, the piece functions within the mythological genre to visualize this legendary creature. The imagery represents the traditional iconography associated with the dragon, a symbol of power and authority often linked to imperial themes.

Created in China by an anonymous painter, the scroll presents the beast without additional narrative context in the provided descriptions, focusing entirely on the depiction of the mythological subject.

Technique & Style

The work is executed as a handscroll on silk, employing ink with subtle color washes, a technique characteristic of Chinese painting of the period. Its dimensions measure approximately 27.6 cm in height by 211.1 cm in width, reflecting the elongated format of a handscroll. The subject depicts a dragon, a mythological motif rendered in a style that echoes the courtly aesthetic associated with Emperor Gaozong’s patronage.

The painting belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection and is exhibited in its Asian art galleries.

History & Provenance

The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is located. It is classified as a painting depicting a dragon and was made in China, executed as a handscroll in ink and color on silk after Emperor Gaozong.

No specific accession number, accession date, or exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

This hand‑scroll, executed in ink and color on silk, presents a mythological scene centered on two dragons. The composition unfolds horizontally, with the creatures winding through a stormy sky and interacting with a pearl and a mountain peak. The work dates to the early twelfth century, around 1120, and is attributed to the period of Emperor Gaozong’s reign in the Song dynasty.

Context

During the Song dynasty, dragon imagery flourished in both courtly and religious art, serving as an emblem of imperial authority and cosmic order. This work aligns with contemporary trends that favored expressive brush techniques and the integration of mythic motifs into decorative formats such as hand‑scrolls.