About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in China in 1639, this hanging scroll portrays a Taoist deity, firmly rooting the artwork within the religious genre.

Created in China in 1639, this hanging scroll portrays a Taoist deity, firmly rooting the artwork within the religious genre. The iconography centers on divine representation, utilizing the traditional medium of color on silk to visualize a figure of spiritual significance within Taoism. As an anonymous devotional painting, the work's meaning is intrinsically tied to its religious function, serving as a visual focal point for the veneration of a specific god within the Taoist pantheon.

The depiction embodies the spiritual and supernatural aspects of the tradition, reflecting the cultural and religious importance of such deities in 17th-century Chinese practice.

Technique & Style

Executed in color on silk and mounted as a hanging scroll, this 1639 work adheres to the traditional format of Chinese devotional painting intended for vertical display. The use of silk as a support was standard for religious scroll paintings of the period, providing a smooth ground suited to fine brushwork and luminous pigment application. Measuring 168.9 by 101.6 centimeters, the scroll's proportions follow the elongated vertical orientation typical of Taoist devotional imagery.

The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within the museum's paintings holdings and categorized as a religious work depicting Taoist subject matter.

History & Provenance

The work, titled Untitled, is a hanging scroll executed in color on silk, created in 1639 in China. Attributed to an anonymous painter, the piece belongs to the religious genre and depicts Taoist deities. While the specific commission details and the original ownership chain are not documented in the available records, the work's creation is firmly dated to the year 1639.

It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it resides as part of their holdings of Chinese painting. The dimensions of the scroll are recorded as 168.9 cm in height and 101.6 cm in width. No further information regarding intermediate collectors or specific provenance events prior to its acquisition by the museum is provided in the source material.

Overview

This untitled hanging scroll portrays a Taoist deity, rendered with color on silk. The central figure is depicted floating gracefully within a cloud-filled expanse, painted in a harmonious blend of soft blues and radiant golds. The artwork's medium and subject matter align with traditional Chinese painting, presenting a scene imbued with spiritual significance and an ethereal quality.