Accession no.: 45.174.30
Credit line: Bequest of George D. Pratt, 1935

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The handscroll presents a genre scene in which a man and a woman are shown together with a horse, with equestrianism forming a central activity of the composition. The pairing of male and female figures alongside the horse situates the imagery within the everyday social life of early 14th-century China, where such scrolls typically recorded interactions between people and animals in narrative form. The depiction of equestrianism, together with the presence of both a man and a woman, suggests the work functions as a record of a specific encounter or outing rather than as a symbolic or allegorical image, with the horse serving as the focal point around which the human figures are arranged.

Technique & Style

The work functions as a genre scene, depicting figures of a man and a woman alongside a horse engaged in equestrianism.

Created in 1319, this anonymous Chinese handscroll is executed in ink and color on paper. The work functions as a genre scene, depicting figures of a man and a woman alongside a horse engaged in equestrianism. As a painting classified within the genre scene tradition, the piece utilizes the handscroll format, a support typical for narrative or observational works of the period.

The application of both ink and color suggests a layered approach to defining form and atmosphere on the paper surface. Held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the artwork represents a specific instance of early fourteenth-century painting from China, characterized by its depiction of human and animal subjects within a secular context.

History & Provenance

The handscroll titled Untitled, created in 1319 by an anonymous Chinese artist, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the provided records confirm the institution's ownership and the work's location within the museum, they do not specify a particular inventory or accession number. Furthermore, the available sources contain no information regarding the artwork's exhibition history, previous owners, or specific provenance details beyond its current custodial status.

Overview

This untitled handscroll, rendered in ink and color on paper, presents a dynamic depiction of daily existence within a Chinese town. The composition unfolds horizontally, inviting viewers to follow a narrative of human and animal interactions. It captures a vibrant slice of life, characteristic of genre scenes that document the social fabric and everyday activities of a community.