明 侯懋功 高山圖 軸 |High Mountains
The Met
Artist: Hou Maogong(Chinese, active ca. 1540–1580)
Date: 1569
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Image: 46 5/8 x 11 in. (118.4 x 27.9 cm) Overall with mounting: 78 3/4 x 17 in. (200 x 43.2 cm) Overall with knobs: 78 3/4 x 20 1/2 in. (200 x 52.1 cm)
Credit Line: Bequest of John M. Crawford Jr., 1988
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Vertical scroll painting depicting a mountainous landscape with water, dense trees, and small figures
Detailed Description
The painting is a vertical scroll, rendered in an ink and wash style with muted greens, browns, and grays. The composition is divided into distinct layers, moving from distant, towering peaks at the top to a detailed foreground with figures. At the top, a series of tall, pointed mountains rise into a light, misty sky, their forms softly outlined. Below these, the landscape transitions to more rounded hills and valleys, where a winding body of water, possibly a river or lake, begins to appear. Small, sparse trees dot the distant hillsides. Moving downwards, the mountains become more defined, covered with denser clusters of trees, primarily evergreens, rendered with fine brushstrokes. The water body widens and narrows, reflecting the light sky. Along its banks, small, indistinct structures or settlements can be faintly seen. The middle section features a prominent, steep mountain on the left, heavily forested with numerous trees. The water continues to flow, with more landmasses and tree-covered hills on the right. The brushwork for the trees becomes more detailed, showing individual branches and foliage. In the lower third, the foreground is dominated by a dense forest of tall, gnarled trees with visible brown trunks and green-grey foliage. The ground is uneven, with large, mossy rocks and patches of lighter earth. Several small human figures are depicted: two figures, one in a red robe and another in a white garment, stand near the center. Another smaller figure is visible further to the right. A narrow stream or path meanders through the rocky terrain in the lower left. Red seals and black calligraphic text are present in the upper right, upper left, and lower left corners of the painting.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
