Who painted Tao Yuanming's Return Home?

Tao Yuanming's Return Home was painted by Unknown in 1304.

Where can I see Tao Yuanming's Return Home?

Tao Yuanming's Return Home is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Tao Yuanming's Return Home?

Tao Yuanming's Return Home is associated with Song dynasty painting.

Artwork

Tao Yuanming's Return Home

Unknown , 1304

Tao Yuanming's Return Home is an unspecified painting by the Song dynasty painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1304 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1982.152
Credit line: Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund

About this work

You see a long scroll showing the same man over and over, riding a donkey, arriving at a gate, hugging his kids, fixing his hair.

You see a long scroll showing the same man over and over, riding a donkey, arriving at a gate, hugging his kids, fixing his hair.

This painting tells the story of Tao Yuanming, a poet who quit his government job to live quietly in the countryside. The artist didn’t just paint one moment; they drew the whole journey in one long scene, like a comic strip without panels.

If you like this, look up the subject china, yuan dynasty (1271-1368) to see more scrolls like it.

Overview

Tao Yuanming's Return Home is a handscroll painting that illustrates the poet Tao Yuanming's return to a rural life after leaving government service.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts scenes from Tao Yuanming's poem 'Return Home', showing the poet's journey and his reintegration into domestic and natural surroundings, symbolizing his desire for simplicity and authenticity.

Technique & Style

The handscroll employs a continuous narrative, presenting multiple scenes of Tao Yuanming in a single, unbroken composition, allowing the viewer to follow the poet's journey sequentially.

Context

The painting reflects a theme popular among Chinese scholars, resonating with the sentiments expressed in Tao Yuanming's poem, and is characteristic of Yuan dynasty art.