Artwork
清 佚名 倣吳歷 茂林草堂圖 軸|A Lodge in the Hills
清 佚名 倣吳歷 茂林草堂圖 軸|A Lodge in the Hills is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Wu Li. It dates from 1703 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a hanging scroll executed in ink on paper, the image functions as a visual interpretation of a rustic retreat within a mountainous setting.
Classified as a landscape painting, the work depicts a hilly terrain, consistent with its title, A Lodge in the Hills. Although the scroll bears a date of 1703 and is associated with Wu Li, internal analysis identifies the date as spurious and the artist as unknown, suggesting the piece is a later imitation of Wu Li's style rather than an original composition. The iconography centers on the representation of hills, a fundamental element in Chinese landscape traditions.
As a hanging scroll executed in ink on paper, the image functions as a visual interpretation of a rustic retreat within a mountainous setting. The work's primary significance lies in its status as a derivative piece reflecting the enduring influence of Wu Li's approach on later practitioners, even when the specific creator remains unidentified.
Technique & Style
Executed as a hanging scroll in ink on paper, this landscape work follows the orthodox brush-handling conventions of Chinese literati painting. The composition is organized in a tall, vertical format, with the paper support measuring 100.6 cm in height and 48.3 cm in width, a proportion suited to the suspended display of a single-axis scroll. The medium of monochrome ink on paper situates the work within the ink tradition associated with Wu Li and his circle.
The scroll is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is spuriously dated to 1703, indicating that the inscription bears a later-added date rather than a contemporary one.
History & Provenance
The hanging scroll titled A Lodge in the Hills is a landscape depiction of a hill executed in ink on paper, produced in China as an imitation of the manner of Wu Li. Its date is recorded as 1703, though this dating is considered spurious and the artist is unidentified. The artwork is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and measures 100.6 cm in height and 48.3 cm in width.
No record of prior owners, commissioning details, accession number, or exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Legacy
The hanging scroll, attributed to Wu Li and spuriously dated 1703, is a landscape executed in ink on paper now held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its presence in a major public collection reflects continued interest in Wu Li, one of the leading landscape painters of the early Qing period, and in the later imitations produced in his manner.
Overview
This hanging scroll, titled A Lodge in the Hills, is an ink on paper painting that emulates the distinctive style of the Qing Dynasty artist Wu Li. While not an original work by Wu Li himself, it captures the essence of his landscape compositions. The piece depicts a serene mountainous vista, characteristic of traditional Chinese painting, inviting contemplation of nature's quiet grandeur.
Context
The original creator of this influential style, Wu Li (c. 1632–1718), was a prominent figure during the Qing Dynasty. Known for his landscape paintings, calligraphy, and poetry, he also led an unusual life for a Chinese scholar-artist, converting to Catholicism and eventually becoming a Jesuit priest in 1688 after studies in Macau. His unique background often informed the contemplative depth found in his artistic output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Wu Li, SJ (simplified Chinese: 吴历; traditional Chinese: 吳歷; pinyin: Wú Lì); ca. 1632-1718 was a Chinese landscape painter, Christian poet, calligrapher and Jesuit missionary priest from Jiangsu who lived during the Qing…
