Artwork Page for Clouds and Waves at the Wu Gorge

Details / Information for Clouds and Waves at the Wu Gorge

Clouds and Waves at the Wu Gorge

巫峽雲濤圖

c. 1547–67

Xie Shichen 謝時臣

(Chinese, 1487–after 1567)
Culture
China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Medium
hanging scroll; ink and light color on paper
Measurements
Painting: 243.1 x 90 cm (95 11/16 x 35 7/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 295.6 x 115 cm (116 3/8 x 45 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1968.213
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?

This large painting was likely created for a wealthy or powerful family's grand hall to impress their visitors.

Description

This dramatic landscape was probably painted after Xie Shichen returned from a journey in 1547 that took him through various provinces of China, including Sichuan Province in southwest China and sailing the Yangzi River. The composition from a high vantage point offers a view deep into the Wu Gorge where rolling waves put a ship in peril. The scale and composition of this landscape, which was inspired by the majestic mountain scenery in Sichuan Province, as well as Xie’s vigorous brushwork, are exceptional.
A hanging scroll in ink and light color depicts a vertical landscape with dense brushstrokes forming gnarled trees and jagged rocks. A small wooden boat navigates turbulent, wavy water in the foreground. Swirling, thick clouds fill the middle and upper sections, where steep mountain peaks emerge from the mist. Vertical columns of Chinese calligraphy and a red seal are positioned in the top left against a hazy sky.

Clouds and Waves at the Wu Gorge

c. 1547–67

Xie Shichen

(Chinese, 1487–after 1567)
China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

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