Artwork
明/清 佚名 仿方從義 巢雲圖 卷|Landscape
明/清 佚名 仿方從義 巢雲圖 卷|Landscape is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist After Fang Congyi. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a handscroll, the piece is designed for sequential, intimate viewing, allowing the depiction of mountains and natural scenery to unfold horizontally.
Executed in 1639, this anonymous handscroll presents a landscape composition attributed to the style of Fang Congyi. The work is realized using ink and color applied on a silk support, a medium choice characteristic of the period's courtly and literati traditions. As a handscroll, the piece is designed for sequential, intimate viewing, allowing the depiction of mountains and natural scenery to unfold horizontally.
The formal qualities align with the landscape genre, focusing on mountainous terrain rendered through the specific handling of ink washes and mineral pigments on the woven surface. While the specific condition of the silk and pigment stability is not detailed in available records, the classification as a painting on silk confirms the material foundation of the artwork.
History & Provenance
Created in 1639 in China, this handscroll is an anonymous work executed in ink and color on silk. Although the artist remains unidentified, the piece is explicitly attributed as being in the style of or after Fang Congyi. The work, titled Nestled in Clouds (Chao Yun Tu), depicts a mountainous landscape.
It eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 47.18.14. No specific details regarding its original commission, intermediate ownership history, or the circumstances of its creation beyond the date and stylistic attribution are provided in the available records.
The handscroll is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under the accession number 47.18.14. The work, dated to 1639 and made in China, is classified within the museum's holdings as a painting of the landscape genre. No exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
This handscroll, titled Landscape (巢雲圖), is an anonymous work from the Ming or Qing dynasty, dated 1639, executed in the style of Fang Congyi. Rendered with ink and soft colors on silk, it presents a long, narrow vista. The painting depicts a serene mountain landscape, characterized by misty peaks, gnarled pine trees, and miniature figures of scholars situated within a pavilion, inviting contemplation as the viewer unrolls the scroll.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork presents a classical Chinese landscape, featuring towering, mist-shrouded mountains, distinctively twisted pine trees, and small, contemplative figures of scholars nestled within a pavilion. In Chinese art, such mountain vistas often transcend mere representation, serving as vehicles for expressing profound moods and philosophical ideas. This particular composition invites viewers to engage with the natural world as a source of spiritual reflection and aesthetic experience.
Artist & collection
