列子御風図扇面 (Resshi gyofū zu senmen)|The Daoist Immortal Liezi Flying on a Cloud
16th century
Medium
Fan-shaped painting mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on paper
Dimensions
Image: 13 1/4 × 20 5/8 in. (33.7 × 52.4 cm) Overall with mounting: 48 × 24 9/16 in. (121.9 × 62.4 cm) Overall with knobs: 48 × 26 1/2 in. (121.9 × 67.3 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Muromachi period (1392–1573)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Charles Stewart Smith Collection, Gift of Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, Charles Stewart Smith Jr., and Howard Caswell Smith, in memory of Charles Stewart Smith, 1914
Accession Number
14.76.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
This evocative fan-shaped painting captures the Daoist immortal Liezi soaring effortlessly on a cloud, a scene drawn from classical Chinese philosophy that resonated deeply in medieval Japan. Created by Kano Yukinobu in the 16th century during the Muromachi period, the work reflects the era’s fascination with Chinese literary and spiritual themes. The Muromachi period saw Japanese artists embrace ink painting traditions from the continent, often infusing them with Zen sensibilities that valued spontaneity and the beauty of empty space. Executed in delicate ink on paper and originally designed...