明 文徵明 樓居圖軸|Living Aloft: Master Liu's Retreat
1543
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 37 1/2 x 18 in. (95.3 x 45.7 cm) Overall with mounting: 82 1/8 x 25 1/4 in. (208.6 x 64.1 cm) Overall with knobs: 82 1/8 x 29 5/8 in. (208.6 x 75.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Marie-Hélène and Guy Weill, in honor of Wen C. Fong, 2015
Accession Number
2017.327.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Wen Zhengming's *Living Aloft: Master's Retreat* (154) is a masterful hanging scroll in ink and color on paper exemplifying the refined literati painting of China's Ming dynasty (13681644). As a leading figure of the Wu school from Suzhou, Wen (1470–1559) captured the scholar's ideal of harmonious retreat from worldly chaos. This work depicts an elevated pavilion perched amid lush trees and misty landscapes, evoking "Master Liu's" secluded tower—a poetic nod to reclusive contemplation amid nature's embrace. The hanging scroll format, unrolled for intimate viewing during scholarly gatherings, ...
About the Artist
Wen Zhengming · 1470–1559
Wen Zhengming (1470–1559), born in Suzhou to a modestly successful scholar-official family, embodied the ideal of the Ming dynasty literati artist. His father, Wen Lin, introduced him early to a leading Suzhou calligrapher, fostering his foundational skills in that art. A late bloomer, Wen studied under the master Shen Zhou, whose guidance shaped his profound reverence for Song and Yuan dynasty ar...