Artwork Page for Water Buffalo and Herdboys

Details / Information for Water Buffalo and Herdboys

Water Buffalo and Herdboys

牧牛圖

late 1200s–early 1300s

China, Yuan dynasty

(1271-1368)
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on silk
Measurements
Painting: 23.7 x 50.5 cm (9 5/16 x 19 7/8 in.); Overall with knobs: 109 x 67.6 cm (42 15/16 x 26 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert F. Leisy in memory of his wife, Helen Stamp Leisy 1977.200
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

Description

In southern China, farmers use water buffalos to help plow their fields, which children often tend. In Buddhist teachings, the subject of herding or taming an ox was used to illustrate the 10 steps to enlightenment, or spiritual awakening. A single image may be read as a metaphorical representation of the Chan process of attaining enlightenment, the difficulty of which was likened to that of finding a strayed buffalo. Here, a buffalo is watered by a boy, another takes a bath in the pond. Chan paintings introduced to Japan were often remounted to fit them into niches for display (tokonoma), which explains the painting’s current format.
A horizontally oriented ink painting on a silk hanging scroll depicts a misty landscape with muted brown and gray washes. On the left, a leafy tree hangs over water where a buffalo carries a reclining boy with light skin. To the right, another boy stands on a grassy bank beside a second buffalo. Soft, hazy brushstrokes define an open space, all framed by a patterned brown textile border.

Water Buffalo and Herdboys

late 1200s–early 1300s

China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Shop the CMA Store

Shop More Art

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