Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Xia Gui in ca. 1200.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Chinese Orthodox School.

Artwork

Untitled

Xia Gui , 1200

Untitled is an ink painting by the Chinese Orthodox School artist Xia Gui. It dates from 1200 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition explicitly depicts mountains and activities related to fishing, situating the work within the tradition of Chinese landscape painting.

Created around 1200 by the artist Xia Gui, this album leaf presents a landscape scene rendered in ink and color on silk. The composition explicitly depicts mountains and activities related to fishing, situating the work within the tradition of Chinese landscape painting. While the title remains generic, the visual content focuses on the interaction between the natural environment and human livelihood.

The imagery centers on rugged mountainous forms alongside elements suggesting angling or boat-based labor, reflecting a genre concerned with the harmony of humanity and nature. No specific symbolic interpretations or deeper allegorical meanings regarding these elements are detailed in the available records, leaving the representation primarily descriptive of its scenic and occupational subjects.

Technique & Style

Created around 1200 in China, this landscape painting by Xia Gui is executed as an album leaf. The artist utilized ink and color applied directly onto a silk support. Measuring approximately 23.2 by 23.8 centimeters, the work depicts a scene of fishing within a mountainous environment.

As a representative example of the landscape genre from this period, the piece combines monochromatic ink washes with selective coloring to render the natural setting. The classification as a painting on silk highlights the specific material choices characteristic of Song dynasty album leaves held in major collections like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

The album leaf is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Dated to 1200, it is catalogued as a work by Xia Gui executed in ink and color on silk. Wikidata records the painting's dimensions as 23.2 by 23.8 centimeters and confirms its location within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's holdings.

The provided sources do not specify an inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for the work.

Overview

This untitled album leaf, rendered in ink and subtle color on silk, depicts a solitary fisherman navigating a river. Behind him, angular mountains ascend sharply, their forms suggesting a folded, layered quality. The composition evokes a sense of quiet contemplation, characteristic of traditional East Asian landscape painting.