Artwork Page for Sheer Cliffs

Details / Information for Sheer Cliffs

Series Title: Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, 雑畫圖冊

Sheer Cliffs

1788

Min Zhen 閔貞

(Chinese, 1730–after 1788)
View all records in artwork set
Culture
China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Medium
album leaf, ink on paper
Measurements
Sheet: 29 x 18.4 cm (11 7/16 x 7 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1985.71.12
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

Min Zhen, who was orphaned at age 12 and developed an eccentric personality, was trained by Tang Yin (1682–1756), a writer, playwright, and superintendent of the imperial porcelain workshops in Jingdezhen. The connection to him may have enabled Min to stay in Beijing for a decade from around 1773. It is not clear whether he ever resided in Yangzhou, but his style is in many instances reminiscent of that of Yangzhou artist Huang Shen. This album demonstrates Min’s versatility and mature style in the last years of his life.
An ink painting on paper depicts a vertical landscape of sheer, pale gray cliffs flanking a narrow waterway. Several columns of calligraphy fill the upper left, interspersed with red square seals. In the middle ground, a small house sits on a ledge between the steep rock faces. Dark ink dots represent sparse vegetation along the ridges. Additional red seals are stamped in the lower left and right of the composition.

Sheer Cliffs

1788

Min Zhen

(Chinese, 1730–after 1788)
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