Who painted 清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals?

清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals was painted by Xu Yang in dated 1753.

Where can I see 清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals?

清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals?

清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals is associated with Qing dynasty painting.

Artwork

清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals

Xu Yang , 1753

清徐揚仙山樓閣圖扇面|Palaces of the Immortals is an ink painting by the Qing dynasty painting artist Xu Yang. It dates from 1753 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

The handling balances meticulous detail in architecture with broader, atmospheric ink modulation for mist and distance.

Executed in 1753, the work is a folding fan remounted as an album leaf, rendered in ink, color, and gold on paper. The composition employs fine, layered brushwork to articulate the layered peaks and receding terraces of the Immortal Mountains, while dilute washes model atmospheric recession. Gold is used selectively for accents in pavilions and foliage, heightening luminosity against the paper ground. The handling balances meticulous detail in architecture with broader, atmospheric ink modulation for mist and distance.

History & Provenance

The folding fan titled Palaces of the Immortals, attributed to Xu Yang, was created in 1753 in China. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, as documented in its provenance and catalog records.

The work depicts a mountain landscape and was originally mounted as an album leaf, reflecting traditional Chinese artistic practices of the Qing dynasty.

Legacy

The painting has been cited in scholarly discussions of Qing dynasty court art, particularly in studies of fan painting conventions and landscape idioms. Its depiction of a stylized mountain landscape contributed to visual motifs that appear in later Qing works, especially in compositions emphasizing spiritual retreat and imperial symbolism. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is referenced in curatorial documentation on 18th-century Chinese painting.

Overview

Created in 1753, this folding‑fan painting by the Qing court artist Xu Yang presents a compact landscape of soaring peaks and secluded valleys. Rendered on paper with ink, mineral pigments and gold, the work is mounted as a single leaf of an album, allowing the viewer to hold a miniature world within the hand.

Subject & Meaning

The scene portrays a rugged mountain range punctuated by small, red‑tiled structures that cling to sheer cliffs, suggesting the legendary dwellings of immortals. The mist‑filled valleys and distant horizons evoke a sense of transcendence, aligning the composition with traditional Chinese ideas of nature as a realm of spiritual retreat.

Context

During the mid‑18th century, the Qing court encouraged the production of album leaves and fan paintings that combined literary allusion with visual refinement. Xu Yang’s work fits within this tradition, drawing on earlier landscape conventions while catering to the Qianlong emperor’s personal aesthetic interests.