Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Wen Zhengming in mid-16th century.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

Untitled

Wen Zhengming , 1550

Untitled is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Wen Zhengming. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Wen Zhengming's Untitled is a mid-16th century hanging scroll depicting a landscape, rendered in ink and color on silk. The work belongs to the landscape genre within traditional Chinese paintings and is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Technique & Style

Executed in the mid-16th century, this landscape painting by Wen Zhengming takes the form of a hanging scroll. The artist employed ink and color applied directly onto a silk support. As a work classified within the painting genre, it utilizes traditional materials characteristic of the period to render its scenic subject matter.

History & Provenance

The scroll was documented in the museum’s 2015 inventory, confirming its presence and provenance within the institution.

Untitled is a hanging scroll painted by Wen Zhengming in the mid-16th century using ink and color on silk. The work is classified as a landscape painting within the broader category of paintings. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under accession number 2015.500.8.4. The scroll was documented in the museum’s 2015 inventory, confirming its presence and provenance within the institution.

Context

Wen Zhengming's Untitled hanging scroll, created in the mid-16th century, exemplifies late Ming dynasty landscape painting through its restrained ink and color application on silk. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection (acquisition year 2015), reflecting its recognized significance within institutional holdings and scholarly discourse on Chinese painting traditions.

Overview

Created in 1550, this hanging scroll by the Ming‑dynasty scholar‑artist Wen Zhengming presents a solitary tree set against a muted, beige ground. Executed on silk with ink and touches of color, the composition balances stark monochrome brushwork with subtle chromatic accents, while a line of Chinese characters runs along the right margin.

元吳鎮高節凌雲圖軸|Bamboo, old tree, and rock, Wu Zhen

Artist & collection

Artist

Wen Zhengming

Wen Zhengming spent most of his life in Suzhou, a city of canals and scholars where art and poetry were daily habits, not hobbies.

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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