Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Chinese Orthodox School artist After Mao I. It dates from 1120 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work, titled Untitled, presents a still‑life composition centered on fruit, identified in the catalog as Mus, rendered in ink and color on silk.
The work, titled Untitled, presents a still‑life composition centered on fruit, identified in the catalog as Mus, rendered in ink and color on silk. Its modest dimensions (approximately 24.8 × 25.2 cm) and Chinese production context link the piece to traditional Chinese painting practices, while its inclusion in the Metropolitan Museum of Art underscores its recognized cultural significance. The depiction of fruit functions as a conventional motif within the genre, suggesting themes of abundance and transience without additional symbolic elaboration provided in the source material.
Technique & Style
This anonymous Chinese painting, executed on silk, employs ink and color in the traditional album leaf format. The work is classified as a still life, depicting fruit and a banana plant (Mus). The support consists of silk, a material characteristic of Chinese painting traditions, with the medium combining ink and pigment application.
The physical dimensions of the piece measure 24.8 cm in height and 25.2 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on botanical subjects rendered through the specific handling of ink and color on the silk surface. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is identified as a painting by an anonymous artist from China.
History & Provenance
The work Untitled by After Mao I is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is listed as part of the museum's holdings, though a specific accession or inventory number is not provided in the available documentation. The painting measures 24.8 × 25.2 cm and was created in China, depicting fruit and a Mus motif.
No exhibition history is recorded in the sources consulted, indicating that the piece has not been featured in publicly listed exhibitions up to the present.
Overview
This untitled painting, created around 1120 by an artist working in the style of Mao I, is an ink and color work on silk. It presents a quiet still life, depicting two mice engaged with a peach and a persimmon. Designed as an album leaf, this piece was intended for private viewing and shared appreciation within a close circle, rather than public display.
Context
As an album leaf, this painting was not created for large-scale exhibition but rather for inclusion in a bound collection of artworks. Such albums were typically circulated among friends and connoisseurs, fostering a more personal and reflective engagement with art. This format allowed for the appreciation of small, detailed compositions like this still life of mice and fruit, a common theme in Chinese painting of the period.
Artist & collection
