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 Chinese Orthodox School.

Artwork

Untitled

After Zhao Mengfu , 1639

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

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work shows a simple interior with a bench, a chair and a solitary man, elements recorded in both the internal catalogue and the Wikidata entry.

The work shows a simple interior with a bench, a chair and a solitary man, elements recorded in both the internal catalogue and the Wikidata entry. Its 1639 date and Chinese provenance place it within the tradition of handscroll genre scenes after Zhao Mengfu. The composition is linked to the story of Xiao Yi acquiring the celebrated Lanting Manuscript, suggesting a symbolic reference to scholarly refinement and the pursuit of calligraphic heritage.

As a handscroll painted in ink and color on silk, it functions as a visual narrative of a literati gathering, where everyday objects frame a contemplative figure engaged in literary activity.

Technique & Style

The work is executed as a handscroll using ink and polychrome pigments applied to a silk support, a traditional format for Chinese painting of the period. Its composition belongs to the genre‑scene category and portrays a bench, a chair and a solitary male figure, reflecting the narrative of Xiao Yi Obtaining the Lanting Manuscript. Created in China in 1639, the piece was later acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains in the museum’s collection.

The painting’s stylistic character is defined by restrained brushwork and a muted palette that emphasizes the everyday setting of the depicted furnishings.

History & Provenance

The work is dated 1639 on the handscroll, aligning with the Qianlong-era revival of Zhao Mengfu’s manner that the painting emulates. It was produced as a copy after Zhao’s composition, specifically referencing Xiao Yi Obtaining the Lanting Manuscript, a theme the source identifies as the basis for the scene depicted. The painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection as an anonymous work, where it has been held since acquisition by that institution.

Overview

This untitled Chinese handscroll, created in 1639, utilizes ink and color on silk to present a genre scene. Although the specific artist is not recorded, the work is recognized as being in the style of Zhao Mengfu, a significant scholar and painter from the Yuan dynasty. The composition captures a moment of human interaction within a natural setting, characteristic of traditional Chinese painting.