Artwork
明 張瑞圖 後赤壁賦圖 卷|Illustration of Su Shi’s “Second Ode on Red Cliff”
明 張瑞圖 後赤壁賦圖 卷|Illustration of Su Shi’s “Second Ode on Red Cliff” is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Zhang Ruitu. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1989.363.108
- Credit line
- Bequest of John M. Crawford Jr., 1988
About this work
A long, narrow scroll in black ink on satin: jagged cliffs, a tiny boat, and a few strokes that suggest water and mist. It illustrates a famous poem Su Shi wrote in 1082, and the artist lets the empty space stand in for the river and sky, a quiet device in Chinese landscape painting.
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1628 by Zhang Ruitu, this handscroll illustrates Su Shi's literary masterpiece, the "Second Ode on the Red Cliff.
Created in 1628 by Zhang Ruitu, this handscroll illustrates Su Shi's literary masterpiece, the "Second Ode on the Red Cliff." The work functions as a landscape painting, visually interpreting the narrative journey described in the ode. Iconographically, the composition is dominated by depictions of mountains and natural scenery, rendered in ink on satin.
These elements serve to materialize the setting of Su Shi's philosophical reflection on nature and existence. As a genre piece, the scroll represents the Ming dynasty tradition of translating celebrated poetry into visual form, using the rugged terrain and atmospheric landscape to evoke the mood and thematic depth of the original text.
Technique & Style
The handscroll, executed in ink on satin, showcases Zhang Ruitu's brushwork and layered washes that render the craggy cliffs and flowing river with subtle tonal gradations. The support's smooth surface allows fine line work to define the mountains' contours while the ink's fluidity creates a sense of atmospheric depth. Stylistically, the piece embodies late Ming literati aesthetics, emphasizing scholarly contemplation through a restrained yet expressive visual language.
History & Provenance
Zhang Ruitu's Illustration of Su Shi's "Second Ode on Red Cliff" was created in 1628. Executed as a handscroll in ink on satin, the painting was produced in China and falls within the landscape genre, depicting mountains and scenery associated with Su Shi's literary subject. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
No further details regarding an earlier ownership chain, a specific commissioner, or intermediate provenance prior to its acquisition are documented in the available sources, and no accession number or exhibition history is recorded.
Overview
Illustration of Su Shi’s “Second Ode on Red Cliff” is a handscroll painting created by Zhang Ruitu in 1628. Executed in ink on satin, this work presents a landscape scene. It visually interprets the renowned poem by Su Shi, depicting elements such as towering mountains, rugged cliffs, a small boat, and subtle suggestions of water and mist. The painting serves as a visual companion to the celebrated literary work.
Artist & collection
