Artwork
明 佚名 柳馬圖 冊頁|Horse and Willow Tree
明 佚名 柳馬圖 冊頁|Horse and Willow Tree is an ink painting. It dates from 1416 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is an album leaf painted with ink and color on silk, depicting a horse positioned beside a willow tree.
About this work
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the painting functions as a landscape composition centered on the depiction of a horse.
This early 15th-century album leaf is executed in ink and color on a silk support. The work measures 25.7 cm in height and 22.9 cm in width. Stylistically, the painting functions as a landscape composition centered on the depiction of a horse.
The application of colored pigments alongside ink on the woven textile surface reflects the material conventions of Chinese courtly or literati album painting from the Ming dynasty period.
History & Provenance
Horse and Willow Tree is an anonymous Chinese album leaf painting created in 1416 during the Ming dynasty, executed in ink and color on silk. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located, and its dimensions measure 25.7 cm × 22.9 cm. No information is available regarding its commission, earlier ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum. The specific accession number is not recorded in the available documentation, and no exhibition history is documented to date.
Overview
The work is an album leaf painted with ink and color on silk, depicting a horse positioned beside a willow tree. Executed on a single page of a traditional Chinese album, the composition is rendered with restrained lines and a limited palette, emphasizing a tranquil atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a solitary horse near a graceful willow, a motif that often conveys themes of serenity and the harmonious relationship between humanity, nature, and animal life. The quiet stance of the animal and the gentle sway of the willow suggest a moment of peaceful coexistence.
Artist & collection
