Artwork Page for Fish

Details / Information for Fish

Fish

群魚戲水圖

c. 1400

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)
Medium
hanging scroll, ink and slight color on silk
Measurements
Painting: 35.1 x 53.3 cm (13 13/16 x 21 in.); Overall with knobs: 124.8 x 72.5 cm (49 1/8 x 28 9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert F. Leisy in memory of his wife, Helen Stamp Leisy 1977.201
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

Four fish of various sizes are swimming among aquatic plants. Like in other paintings, the existence of water is suggested in the harmonious movement of the fish and plants. In Chinese, the word for fish (yu) is a homophone for “abundance” and thus the motif has an auspicious connotation.

The painter uses the so-called boneless technique without outlines to shade and texture the bodies of the fish. The smooth transition from dark shades on their backs to their white bellies and the thin transparent fins and tails in light washes accentuated by gills and scales are all executed without contour lines.
A hanging scroll depicts four fish on tan silk framed by decorative floral borders. On the left, a dark fish curves upward. To the right, three fish cluster, featuring overlapping scales and mottled patches. At the bottom right, feathery green dashes suggest aquatic plants. Fine brushwork defines the fins and scales, while the open space conveys a sense of water through a few brief strokes.

Fish

c. 1400

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

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