Artwork
清 吳大澂 山水 扇面|Fragrant Mountains
清 吳大澂 山水 扇面|Fragrant Mountains is an ink painting by the Qing dynasty painting artist Wu Dacheng. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1986.267.74
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work titled Fragrant Mountains, created by Wu Dacheng in 1868, portrays a traditional Chinese mountain landscape rendered in ink on a folding fan.
The work titled Fragrant Mountains, created by Wu Dacheng in 1868, portrays a traditional Chinese mountain landscape rendered in ink on a folding fan. It belongs to the landscape genre and was produced in China, later entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a mountain depiction, the piece exemplifies the scholarly aesthetic in which natural topography conveys contemplative themes, aligning with the conventions of late‑Qing landscape painting.
Technique & Style
Wu Dacheng’s Fragrant Mountains is executed in ink on alum paper, the support being a folding fan that has been mounted as an album leaf. The medium is traditional Chinese ink, applied with brushwork characteristic of mid‑Qing shan shui landscape painting. The composition depicts mountains, following the genre conventions of landscape painting that emphasize atmospheric depth and rhythmic brushstrokes.
The work measures 17.5 cm in height and 53 cm in width and is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No information on its current condition or handling history is provided in the sources.
History & Provenance
The work titled 清 吳大澂 山水 扇面|Fragrant Mountains was created by Wu Dacheng in 1868 in China as a folding fan mounted as an album leaf, ink on alum paper, depicting a mountain landscape. It is classified as a painting and landscape genre. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalogue, the piece entered the museum’s collection and is presently housed in New York.
The work’s inception is recorded as 1868‑01‑01, with dimensions 17.5 cm × 53 cm, and it was made in China. No documentation of a specific commission is available.
Overview
Wu Dacheng's Fragrant Mountains, created in 1868, is an ink painting originally executed on a folding fan. Now presented as an album leaf, this work features a serene mountain landscape. The artist's use of ink on specially prepared alum paper contributes to its distinctive visual qualities, depicting a scene that evokes a sense of atmospheric depth and natural tranquility. The composition centers on a misty peak, subtly rendered to suggest distance and ethereal beauty.
Context
This artwork was originally conceived as a painting on a folding fan, a common format for portable art in China. Such fans were practical items, often carried within a sleeve, allowing for personal enjoyment and display. The transition from a functional object to an album leaf transforms its presentation, yet its original purpose as an intimate, handheld piece of art remains embedded in its design and scale.
Artist & collection
