Collection Online as of February 6, 2023

Clearing Autumn Mists in the Chu Mountains

1600s

Lan Ying 藍瑛

(Chinese, 1585-aft 1664)

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)

Hanging scroll, ink and light color on silk

Painting: 185.3 x 48.4 cm (72 15/16 x 19 1/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 283.5 x 71.5 cm (111 5/8 x 28 1/8 in.)

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1971.231

Location

not on view

Description

In his inscription Lan Yin states that he uses Mi Fu’s methods to depict this landscape. The ovoid "Mi" dots—Mi Fu’s brush idioms—are applied to give shape to the cloud-enveloped mountains and foreground tree grove for self expression. Engaging in the process of fang (imitation), he acquired the methods of various schools and masters to expand his technical range for creative transformations. Lan Yin developed his unique style and inspired major artists like Liu Du and Chen Hongshou.

Inscriptions

Inscription

Artist's inscription, signature, and 2 seals: Clearing Autumn Mists in the Chu Mountains, painted in the manner of Mi Haiyue [Mi Fu]. Xihu waishi, Lan Ying [seals] Lan Ying zhiyin; Shiwu toutuo

Provenance

?-1971

(Hugh Moss, Ltd., London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)

1971-

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Citations

Ho, Wai-kam, Sherman E. Lee, Laurence Sickman, and Marc F. Wilson. Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting: The Collections of the Nelson Gallery-Atkins Museum, Kansas City, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1980. Reproduced: cat. no. 197, pp. 253-255

Exhibition history

Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (November 7, 1980-January 4, 1981); The Cleveland Museum of Art (February 10-March 29, 1981); Tokyo National Museum (October 4-November 17, 1982).

Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 242). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (January 7-July 7, 2015).

Year in Review: 1971. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (December 28, 1971-February 6, 1972).