Artwork Page for Pure Tones among Hills and Waters

Details / Information for Pure Tones among Hills and Waters

Pure Tones among Hills and Waters

山水清音圖

1664

Xiao Yuncong 蕭雲從

(Chinese, 1596–1673)
Culture
China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Medium
Handscroll; ink and light color on paper
Measurements
Painting: 31 x 781.6 cm (12 3/16 x 307 11/16 in.); Overall: 34 x 1194.8 cm (13 3/8 x 470 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1954.262
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Biographical notes on Xiao Yuncong relate that he did not pursue the career of an official, but "furnished a cottage in the eastern suburbs [of Wuhu in Anhui province] and amused himself playing the qin (zither) and reading every day."

Description

Painted at age 68, this landscape is one of Xiao Yuncong’s most mature works. Extraordinary in its combination of fine details with bold brushstrokes and bluish washes, it is also one of his longest compositions in handscroll format, extending over 23 feet. Throughout his lifetime, Xiao visited Nanjing and Yangzhou, where he met with other painters and literati. Regarded as the founder of the Gushu school (姑孰派) of painting, Xiao painted from nature, and his landscapes are informed by his travels, as well as by his experience as a print designer.
A horizontal handscroll features alternating sections of black ink calligraphy and panoramic landscapes. From the left, vertical inscriptions and red square seals precede vast, undulating mountains with sparse trees and buildings. The peaks are rendered in textured gray washes and clusters of dark ink dabs against a pale body of water. The landscape recedes into the distance, merging with the tan paper background toward the right edge (see "Inscriptions").

Pure Tones among Hills and Waters

1664

Xiao Yuncong

(Chinese, 1596–1673)
China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork