Artwork

Untitled

Untitled, ink, 1649
Untitled, ink, 1649

Untitled is an ink painting. It dates from 1649 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.
13.100.20

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The inclusion of the falcon suggests a connection to falconry, a practice often associated with nobility or hunting traditions in Chinese history.

Created in 1649, this hanging scroll by an anonymous Chinese artist depicts a historical scene featuring a man, a horse, and a falcon. As a work within the history-painting genre, the composition centers on the interaction between these three figures. The inclusion of the falcon suggests a connection to falconry, a practice often associated with nobility or hunting traditions in Chinese history.

The presence of the horse and the man alongside the bird of prey establishes a narrative moment likely rooted in courtly life of the period. While the man remains unnamed in the available records, the combination of elements illustrates a moment of human-animal partnership characteristic of history paintings of this era.

Technique & Style

The painting is a hanging scroll produced in ink and polychrome pigments on silk, a format customary for Chinese hanging art of the mid-seventeenth century. Its narrow silk support allows the composition to be displayed vertically, suspended from a roller. The work measures approximately 141.6 × 79.4 cm, reflecting the scale typical of history paintings from this period.

Executed in China around 1649, the piece depicts a falcon, a horse, and a man, subjects drawn from martial and narrative traditions. Layered ink washes combined with subtle color create a balanced, atmospheric rendering characteristic of the era.

History & Provenance

The hanging scroll is dated to 1649 by internal curatorial records. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with no prior ownership history recorded. The painting's subject, a man with a falcon on horseback, aligns with the Ming–Qing transition period, supporting the 1649 date. No commission records or creator's name survive, and the artist remains unattributed.

Context

The painting Untitled, dated 1649, is an anonymous Chinese hanging scroll executed in ink and color on silk and classified within the history-painting genre. Depicting a falcon, a horse, and a man, it was produced in China and entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its status as an anonymous work reflects the workshop practices of mid-seventeenth-century Chinese painting, while its inclusion in a major Western museum signals scholarly interest in early modern Asian visual culture. No contemporary critical commentary is cited in the available documentation.

Overview

This untitled hanging scroll, executed with ink and color on silk, depicts a dynamic equestrian scene. Two figures in elaborate robes are shown on horseback, each holding a falcon. Behind them, a servant carries a porcelain vessel.

The composition captures a moment of anticipation, with one horse rearing dramatically while the other remains composed, suggesting a narrative unfolding within the landscape.

Landscape: Beautiful Scenery Frozen in Mist
Landscape: Beautiful Scenery Frozen in Mist, Li Shizhuo

Artist & collection

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.