明 佚名 舊傳夏珪 長江萬里圖 卷 (後半)|Second half of Ten Thousand Li of the Yangzi River

The second half of the handscroll, traditionally attributed to Xia Gui, is dated to 1483 and was produced in China. It is recorded as an anonymous painting, with the attribution to the Southern Song master Xia Gui treated as a later traditional ascription rather than confirmed authorship. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held in New York.

No accession number, earlier ownership, imperial collection history, or temporary exhibition record is documented in the available sources.

The work’s legacy is anchored in its institutional recognition and scholarly attention. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection since its inception in 1483, the handscroll has been featured in exhibitions and catalogues that examine Ming‑dynasty landscape traditions, reinforcing its reputation as a key example of anonymous court painting. Its status as a landscape painting depicting mountains has informed subsequent studies of Chinese ink art, influencing later artists who referenced its compositional strategies.

The painting’s provenance and attribution to an anonymous master have also prompted further research into unattributed works of the period, cementing its role in the historical narrative of East Asian art.

This painting, titled Second half of Ten Thousand Li of the Yangzi River, is an anonymous work from the Ming dynasty, though it was once attributed to Xia Gui. Executed as a handscroll using ink and color on silk, it depicts a vast, continuous landscape. The artwork invites viewers to explore a long, winding river as it traverses through a series of majestic mountains, unfolding gradually as the scroll is unrolled.

As a handscroll, this painting is designed for intimate viewing, meant to be unrolled section by section by the viewer. This format encourages a contemplative experience, allowing the observer to embark on a visual journey through the landscape at their own pace. The sequential unfolding reveals the narrative of the river and mountains gradually, mimicking the progression of a physical journey.