Artwork
南宋 佚名 倣夏珪 冒雨尋莊圖 團扇|Returning Home in a Driving Rain
南宋 佚名 倣夏珪 冒雨尋莊圖 團扇|Returning Home in a Driving Rain is an ink painting by the Song dynasty landscape artist Xia Gui. It dates from 1216 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting’s formal qualities include a balanced vertical orientation, restrained palette, and emphasis on line to suggest texture and movement.
The work is a Southern Song album leaf painted in ink and polychrome on silk, depicting a solitary tree in a landscape composition. It was created circa 1216 in China and measures approximately 25.6 × 26.4 cm. The piece was originally a folding fan that was later mounted as an album leaf, a format commonly used for hanging in scholarly collections. Executed in the manner of the master Xia Gui, the work employs delicate brushwork and subtle color washes to render atmospheric depth.
The painting’s formal qualities include a balanced vertical orientation, restrained palette, and emphasis on line to suggest texture and movement.
History & Provenance
The work is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessioned as a gift of John Stewart Kennedy in 1896 (1896.197). It was exhibited in 2000 at the museum’s galleries in New York as part of the installation "Chinese Painting, Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection," where it was displayed as an album leaf after being mounted from a fan format.
Overview
This circular painting, titled Returning Home in a Driving Rain, is rendered with ink and subtle color on silk, originally functioning as a fan before being mounted as an album leaf. Dating to the Southern Song dynasty (c. 1216), it is attributed to an anonymous artist working in the manner of the renowned painter Xia Gui. The composition captures a dynamic landscape scene, focusing on figures navigating a severe downpour amidst towering trees.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork portrays a dramatic natural event, with travelers hurrying through a driving rainstorm, seeking shelter beneath tall pine trees. The scene evokes a sense of urgency and the overwhelming power of nature. Despite the challenging weather, the figures suggest resilience in their journey, underscoring a common theme in Song dynasty landscape painting: humanity's place within a vast and often formidable natural world.
Context
During the Southern Song dynasty, circular fan paintings were a popular format, often featuring intimate landscape scenes or poetic subjects. Many artists, including those working anonymously, emulated the distinctive styles of prominent masters. This particular work reflects the aesthetic principles associated with the Ma-Xia school, known for its emphasis on atmospheric effects, dramatic compositions, and a focus on specific landscape elements rather than expansive panoramic views.
Artist & collection
