Artwork
元 佚名 倣夏永 呂洞賓過岳陽樓 冊頁|明 佚名 呂洞賓過岳陽樓圖 冊頁|The Immortal Lü Dongbin Appearing over the Yueyang Pavilion
元 佚名 倣夏永 呂洞賓過岳陽樓 冊頁|明 佚名 呂洞賓過岳陽樓圖 冊頁|The Immortal Lü Dongbin Appearing over the Yueyang Pavilion is an ink painting. It dates from 1499 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The artwork titled "The Immortal Lü Dongbin Appearing over the Yueyang Pavilion" is an ink on silk painting, presented as an album leaf.
- Accession no.
- 47.18.41
About this work
Technique & Style
Formal qualities include a vertical composition organized by a central mountain mass that recedes in overlapping planes, framed by a riverside pavilion at left.
The work is executed in ink on silk, rendered as an album leaf. Handling shows fine, controlled brushwork typical of Ming-period imitation of the Yuan master Xia Yong’s manner, with meticulous line and subtle tonal modulation to convey recession in the layered mountains and pavilion.
Formal qualities include a vertical composition organized by a central mountain mass that recedes in overlapping planes, framed by a riverside pavilion at left. The ink gradations vary from pale washes in the distance to denser, fibrous textures in the foreground, while the pavilion’s tiled roof and eaves are delineated with precise linear detail.
History & Provenance
The work, titled The Immortal Lü Dongbin Appearing over the Yueyang Pavilion, is an album leaf created in 1499 during the Ming dynasty. Executed in ink on silk by an anonymous artist, the piece is attributed to a style imitating the Yuan dynasty painter Xia Yong. The painting depicts a religious scene featuring a mountain and a pavilion, specifically the Yueyang Pavilion.
It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is cataloged as a Chinese painting from the late 15th century. The dimensions of the leaf are recorded as 21.9 cm in height and 18.7 cm in width.
Overview
The artwork titled "The Immortal Lü Dongbin Appearing over the Yueyang Pavilion" is an ink on silk painting, presented as an album leaf. Attributed to an anonymous artist from either the Yuan or Ming dynasty, this piece captures a serene landscape. It features a prominent pavilion nestled on a mountainside, above which a solitary, ethereal figure is depicted, suggesting a supernatural presence within the natural world.
Subject & Meaning
The painting illustrates the legendary figure of Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals in Daoist tradition, as he manifests above the historic Yueyang Pavilion. This iconic structure, situated by Dongting Lake, is a frequent subject in Chinese art and literature. The depiction of an immortal's appearance imbues the scene with spiritual significance, connecting the earthly realm with the celestial.
Artist & collection
