Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting. It dates from 1777 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a painting despite its origins as a fan.
Created in 1777 in China, this anonymous landscape is executed in ink and color on silk. The work originated as a fan that was subsequently mounted as an album leaf, a handling that transforms the original object's format. Stylistically, the piece depicts a man amidst mountainous terrain, adhering to traditional landscape painting conventions.
The silk support serves as the ground for the ink and pigments. The mounted leaf measures 22.9 cm in height and 22.2 cm in width. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a painting despite its origins as a fan.
History & Provenance
The work, an anonymous landscape painting titled Untitled, was created in China in 1777. Executed in ink and color on silk, the piece originally functioned as a fan before being mounted as an album leaf, and it depicts a man and mountains within a landscape setting. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, within the museum's Paintings department, with dimensions of 22.9 by 22.2 centimeters.
No specific accession number, commission details, or earlier ownership records are provided in the available documentation, leaving the artist unidentified and no exhibition history recorded.
Overview
This untitled painting, rendered with ink and color on silk, depicts figures within a mountainous landscape. Originally conceived as a functional fan, the artwork was later preserved by being mounted as an album leaf. This transformation from an everyday object to a curated art piece highlights its dual nature as both a practical item and a work of visual expression.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features men situated amidst a detailed natural setting, characterized by towering mountains and elements that evoke traditional Chinese artistry. The specific narrative or symbolic meaning conveyed by the figures and their interaction with the landscape is not explicitly stated, allowing for contemplation of the scene's aesthetic qualities and potential allegorical interpretations.
Context
The artwork's initial form as a fan suggests it was intended for personal use and appreciation in daily life. Its subsequent mounting as an album leaf indicates a shift in its purpose, transitioning from a functional object to a collectible item meant for study and preservation. This evolution reflects changing attitudes towards art and its display.
Artist & collection
- 明 佚名 風雨艤舟圖 團扇|Misty Landscape
Untitled
南宋 佚名 倣夏珪 冒雨尋莊圖 團扇|Returning Home in a Driving Rain
明/清 佚名 仙山樓閣圖 團扇頁|Palace
明? 佚名 舊傳燕文貴 雪橋送別 扇|Bridge in Snow
Untitled
元/明 佚名 古木竹禽圖 團扇|Old Tree, Bamboo, and Birds
南宋 馬遠 高士觀瀑圖 冊頁 絹本|Scholar viewing a waterfall
Untitled
Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden
Untitled
南宋 佚名 舊傳閻次于 風雨維舟圖 團扇|Boats Moored in Wind and Rain
