Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by After Zhao Mengfu in 1639.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Yuan dynasty literati painting.

Artwork

Untitled

After Zhao Mengfu , 1639

Untitled is an ink painting by the Yuan dynasty literati painting artist After Zhao Mengfu. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 29.100.480
Credit line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work is a landscape painting that depicts a man and a stream.

The work is a landscape painting that depicts a man and a stream. As an untitled ink-on-silk handscroll produced in 1639 after Zhao Mengfu, it belongs to the Chinese landscape tradition, in which small human figures placed within expansive natural settings such as streams convey the relationship between humanity and the broader environment. The pairing of a solitary figure with flowing water is a recurring motif in this tradition, often used to suggest contemplation, the passage of time, and the harmony between people and nature.

Because the painting is described only by its basic depicted elements, no further specific iconographic or symbolic content can be confirmed from the available sources.

History & Provenance

The handscroll Untitled, dated 1639 and attributed to an anonymous painter working after Zhao Mengfu, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is classified as a landscape painting executed in ink on silk, depicting a man beside a stream. No documented commission or early ownership chain beyond its seventeenth-century date has been published.

While a specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the museum is confirmed as its current location. No exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.

Overview

This handscroll, titled "Untitled," was created in 1639 by an artist working in the manner of Zhao Mengfu. Executed with ink on silk, the painting depicts a flowing stream and a solitary figure. Its elongated format, over six feet in length but only a foot high, is designed to be unrolled gradually, inviting a contemplative, sequential viewing experience.

Technique & Style

Rendered in ink on silk, the painting utilizes quick, dark brushstrokes to define the forms of rocks and bamboo, creating a lively texture. The fluid lines depicting the stream and the man's fluttering robe convey motion and atmosphere. This approach, characteristic of traditional Chinese landscape painting, emphasizes expressive brushwork to capture the essence and energy of the natural world rather than strict photographic realism.

Context

The handscroll format offers a unique, intimate viewing experience. Unlike a static wall painting, it is meant to be unrolled section by section, guiding the viewer through a narrative or journey at their own pace. This private interaction transforms the artwork into a personal "slow movie," allowing for a prolonged engagement with the depicted landscape and fostering a meditative connection to nature from within one's home.