Artwork
Untitled

Untitled is an ink painting by the Chinese Orthodox School artist After Hao Cheng. It dates from 1018 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Executed in ink and color on silk, the piece presents a specific narrative moment within a natural setting rather than an abstract composition.
The work is a landscape painting that depicts a man experiencing alcohol intoxication, accompanied by a domestic worker. Executed in ink and color on silk, the piece presents a specific narrative moment within a natural setting rather than an abstract composition. The inclusion of the intoxicated figure and the attendant suggests a focus on human behavior and social dynamics within the genre.
While the artist is attributed to a follower of Hao Cheng or remains anonymous, the visual content centers on the interaction between these two figures and their state of inebriation. The imagery serves as a representation of a specific scene involving a man and his servant, grounded in the depiction of their physical condition and immediate environment.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in ink and subtle color washes on silk, then mounted as a fan attached to an album leaf, a format typical of Chinese painting albums. Measuring approximately 21.9 cm in height and 23.3 cm in width, the piece belongs to the landscape genre and portrays alcohol intoxication alongside a domestic worker and a man. Its formal qualities include a restrained palette, delicate brushwork, and a balanced composition that emphasizes the fluidity of the figures within the space.
The painting, attributed to an anonymous hand after Hao Cheng, is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and remains in stable condition.
History & Provenance
The work is a fan-mounted album leaf in ink and color on silk attributed as 'After Hao Cheng', indicating it was produced in China as a later work in the style of Hao Cheng. It is presently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sources do not record any earlier owners, commission, or specific date of creation, so the full provenance and chronological history remain undocumented according to the provided sources.
Overview
This untitled painting, rendered in ink and color on silk, was originally a fan before being mounted as an album leaf. It depicts three men in a state of inebriation, shown slumped together with cups still in their hands. The small-scale work captures a specific, intimate moment of social interaction.
Artist & collection


















