Crabs and Reeds
Medium
Album leaf; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
11 5/8 x 9 in. (29.5 x 22.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
From the Collection of A. W. Bahr, Purchase, Fletcher Fund, 1947
Accession Number
47.18.81
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled within the delicate folds of a Qing dynasty (1644–1911) album leaf, *Crabs and Reeds* captures the quiet poetry of nature through ink and color on silk. This intimate painting, measuring just 11 5/8 x 9 inches, depicts crabs amid swaying reeds, rendered with meticulous brushwork that highlights the artist's skill in traditional Chinese techniques. The use of silk as a support—smooth and luminous—allowed for vibrant colors and fluid ink lines, evoking the subtle textures of aquatic life and marshy foliage. Album leaves like this one were cherished by Chinese scholars and collectors dur...