Who painted 元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler?

元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler was painted by After Li Song in 13th–15th century.

Where can I see 元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler?

元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler?

元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler

After Li Song , 1349

元/明佚名絹本設色貨郎嬰戲圖扇頁|Knickknack Peddler is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist After Li Song. It dates from 1349 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This fan leaf, later mounted as an album page, presents a vibrant genre scene attributed to the style of Li Song.

About this work

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on silk, the work is mounted as a fan-shaped album leaf, reflecting typical Yuan–Ming album formats.

Executed in ink and color on silk, the work is mounted as a fan-shaped album leaf, reflecting typical Yuan–Ming album formats. The fine silk support is rendered in horizontal format, measuring 26.4 cm in height and 26.7 cm in width, consistent with intimate scholar’s album leaves. Handling shows delicate line work in ink underdrawing, overlaid with light mineral pigments and organic dyes to model faces, drapery, and props with subtle tonal shifts.

Stylistic traits include attenuated figural proportions, crisp angular drapery folds, and a compressed spatial recession, aligning with the conservative academic manner associated with Li Song’s circle. The palette favors muted earth tones and restrained vermilion accents, preserving the translucency of silk fibers.

History & Provenance

The work, titled Knickknack Peddler, is an anonymous Chinese painting dated to 1349 and executed in ink and color on silk as a fan mounted as an album leaf. It is attributed to a follower of Li Song and was produced in China, depicting an infant with an adult man and woman. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display.

No documentary evidence of its original commission survives, but stylistic analysis links it to the late Yuan period.

The work is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is catalogued under the accession number 1973.121.1. The fan painting, mounted as an album leaf, measures 26.4 cm in height and 26.7 cm in width. As of the documented record, no exhibition history has been traced for this specific work.

Overview

This fan leaf, later mounted as an album page, presents a vibrant genre scene attributed to the style of Li Song. Executed in ink and color on silk, the work dates to the Yuan dynasty, around 1349. It captures a lively street encounter between a traveling merchant and a group of children, observed by adults. The painting offers a glimpse into everyday life during this period, focusing on a common social interaction.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork portrays a knickknack peddler laden with an array of goods, his pole overflowing with toys, fans, and various trinkets. He is surrounded by eager children, some tugging at his clothing, while mothers watch from nearby. This depiction of a traveling merchant interacting with a community is notable as one of the earliest known Chinese paintings to feature such a subject, highlighting the social dynamics and commercial activities of the era.

Context

This fan painting contributes to a broader tradition of Chinese art that documents daily life. By capturing a common street scene, it provides valuable insight into the social fabric and economic activities of the Yuan dynasty. The work serves as an important historical document, illustrating the types of goods available from itinerant vendors and the interactions they fostered within communities, reflecting a growing interest in genre subjects.