Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by After Li Gonglin in 1639.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Song dynasty landscape.

Artwork

Untitled

After Li Gonglin , 1639

Untitled is an ink painting by the Song dynasty landscape artist After Li Gonglin. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

This 1639 handscroll, rendered in ink on silk after Li Gonglin, operates within a landscape format while incorporating Buddhist iconography.

This 1639 handscroll, rendered in ink on silk after Li Gonglin, operates within a landscape format while incorporating Buddhist iconography. The work depicts a man, a bird, and a dragon, with Buddhism explicitly listed among its subjects. The combination of these elements situates the imagery within a Chinese Buddhist pictorial tradition, where the dragon and bird often carry symbolic weight alongside human figures.

As a landscape-rooted composition with religious content, the scroll blends naturalistic motifs with spiritual meaning, characteristic of works produced in seventeenth-century China and now held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.

Technique & Style

The work is a handscroll executed in ink on silk, a support typical of Chinese painting of the period. Its medium is ink, applied in brushwork that follows the tradition of Li Gonglin, though the piece is attributed to an anonymous follower. Dating to 1639 and created in China, the scroll belongs to the landscape genre and depicts a Buddhist scene populated by a bird, a dragon and a human figure.

The composition unfolds horizontally, allowing a sequential reading of the depicted narrative. As a handscroll, it is designed for intimate, controlled handling, traditionally rolled and unrolled for private viewing within a collection such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

Created in 1639 in China, this ink-on-silk handscroll is attributed to an anonymous artist working in the style of Li Gonglin. The work, titled Untitled, depicts Buddhist themes alongside figures of men, birds, and dragons. While specific details regarding its original commission or early ownership chain are not provided in the available records, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located.

Overview

This untitled handscroll, rendered in ink on silk, presents a visual narrative spanning over 800 years. Its elongated format reveals a composition featuring robed figures, birds perched on branches, and a dynamic dragon emerging from clouds. The artist remains unknown, as the work bears no signature, a common occurrence for many ancient Chinese paintings.