Ink Play
dated 1754
Medium
Album of twelve paintings; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Each 11 1/4 x 9 3/8 in. (28.6 x 23.8 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wan-go H. C. Weng, 1997
Accession Number
1997.439a–m
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Ink Play** by Jinong, dated 1754, is a delightful album of twelve intimate paintings from China's Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Each leaf measures 11¼ × 9⅜ inches, rendered in ink and color on paper, inviting viewers into a scholar's private world of whimsy and refinement. Jin Nong, a renowned literati artist and calligrapher, captures everyday delights through lively depictions of fruits, rabbits, birds, deer, cats and human figures—subjects that reflect the playful spirit of 18th-century Chinese intellectual culture. This album exemplifies the Qing era's mastery of ink painting, where artists...