Where can I see Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling?

Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling?

Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling is associated with Joseon dynasty painting.

Artwork

Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling

Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work depicts a bearded elder seated on a rock, clutching a scroll, accompanied by a woman in vivid attire and a harnessed deer.

About this work

History & Provenance

The painting Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling, created in 1795, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The painting was created in 1795 in China by an anonymous artist. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view in the Asian art galleries.

The work was commissioned as a portrait of Shaoyu, depicted as the legendary scholar Liu Ling, reflecting Qing dynasty artistic conventions. Its provenance is documented through acquisition by the museum, establishing a clear ownership chain from creation to present custodianship.

The painting Portrait of Shaoyu in the guise of Liu Ling, created in 1795, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work is attributed to an anonymous Chinese painter and is classified as a portrait. While the museum holds the piece, the provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the artwork. Additionally, the available documentation contains no record of the painting's exhibition history.

Overview

The work depicts a bearded elder seated on a rock, clutching a scroll, accompanied by a woman in vivid attire and a harnessed deer. A tranquil landscape of forested hills and distant wildlife forms the backdrop, creating a serene, natural setting.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, rendered as a scholarly man with a long white beard, is traditionally identified as Shaoyu adopting the persona of Liu Ling, a famed Taoist hermit. The presence of the woman and the deer may allude to themes of companionship and harmony with nature, reflecting Taoist ideals of simplicity and unity with the natural world.

Technique & Style

The painting employs delicate brushwork to render intricate patterns on the man’s yellow robe and the deer's harness, while the surrounding foliage is suggested with softer, broader strokes. The contrast between the detailed foreground figures and the loosely rendered background creates depth and emphasizes the peaceful atmosphere.

Context

During the period when scholar-painters celebrated reclusive figures like Liu Ling, artworks often combined portraiture with idyllic landscapes to convey moral and philosophical messages. This composition follows that convention, integrating portraiture, genre scene, and natural scenery into a single narrative tableau.

Paintings after Ancient Masters: Portrait of Zhongqing in a Landscape, Chen Hongshou

Artist & collection

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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