明 劉世儒 雪梅圖 軸|Plum in snow
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on silk
Dimensions
Image: 68 3/4 x 24 3/8 in. (174.6 x 61.9 cm) Overall with mounting: 106 1/4 x 30 7/8 in. (269.9 x 78.4 cm) Overall with knobs: 106 1/4 x 33 9/16 in. (269.9 x 85.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward Elliott Family Collection, Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, 1982
Accession Number
1982.1.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene tradition of Ming dynasty (1368–1644) painting, Liu Shiru's *Plum in Snow* the timeless beauty of resilience. This hanging scroll, rendered in delicate ink on silk depicts a solitary plum tree enduring a blanket of snow—a classic motif in Chinese literati art. Measuring nearly 69 inches tall, the work unfolds vertically, inviting viewers to contemplate its sparse branches and subtle blossoms as if unrolling a personal meditation. The plum blossom, one of the "Three Friends of Winter" alongside pine and bamboo, symbolizes purity, perseverance, and the promise of spring amid hards...