Artwork
明/清 佚名 舊傳郭煕 關山行旅圖 卷|Traveling amid Mountains

明/清 佚名 舊傳郭煕 關山行旅圖 卷|Traveling amid Mountains is an ink painting by the Baroque artist After Guo Xi. It dates from 1649 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The handscroll depicts a mountainous landscape traversed by a cart pulled by a horse, presenting a travel scene amid mountains. This composition, attributed to an anonymous follower of Guo Xi and dated to 1649, conveys the subject of journeying through a natural setting, as indicated by the depicted cart, horse, and mountainous terrain.
Technique & Style
The silk support, subtle mineral pigments, and delicate handling reflect the technical conventions of Ming‑Qing handscrolls.
The work is a handscroll dating to 1649, painted in ink and applied color on silk. It was produced in China and later entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. The composition shows a cart and horse amid a mountainous landscape, rendered with layered ink washes that create atmospheric depth and a rhythmic brushstroke pattern characteristic of Southern Song landscape traditions.
The silk support, subtle mineral pigments, and delicate handling reflect the technical conventions of Ming‑Qing handscrolls. Detailed condition information is not provided in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
The handscroll titled Traveling amid Mountains, depicting a landscape with a cart and horse, is attributed to an anonymous painter from the Ming or Qing dynasty, though it was formerly ascribed to the Song master Guo Xi. Internal records date the work specifically to 1649, situating its creation in the mid-seventeenth century within China. The painting is executed in ink and color on silk.
Its modern provenance leads to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is held in the collection under the accession number 13.100.27. While the work bears the legacy of the Guo Xi attribution, it is currently classified as the product of an unknown artist active during the transition between the Ming and Qing periods.
Overview
This handscroll, titled Traveling amid Mountains (關山行旅圖), is an anonymous work from the Ming or Qing dynasty, rendered in ink and pale color on silk. It presents a panoramic view of a vast, rugged landscape where tiny figures, horses, and carts navigate towering peaks. The composition invites viewers to follow the winding path through an expansive natural world, emphasizing the scale and majesty of the environment.
Context
Traveling amid Mountains exemplifies the enduring legacy of monumental landscape painting in China. Its depiction of towering, mist-shrouded peaks and the juxtaposition of human activity against a grand natural backdrop connects it to a long lineage of artists who explored similar themes. This approach to landscape, often imbued with philosophical undertones, aimed to evoke a sense of awe and contemplation, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the depicted natural world.
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