Artwork
明 佚名 雲龍圖 軸|Dragon Amid Clouds and Waves
明 佚名 雲龍圖 軸|Dragon Amid Clouds and Waves is an ink painting. It dates from 1499 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is a hanging scroll painted with ink on silk, depicting a dragon entwined with clouds and waves.
About this work
This painting shows a dragon in the clouds and waves.
It's an old work from the 15th or 16th century.
The dragon is a big part of Chinese stories and art, and this painting is a good example of that, with the dragon looking strong and powerful, and the artist used simple ink on silk to create it.
You can learn more about this kind of art at the museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Overview
The work is a hanging scroll painted with ink on silk, depicting a dragon entwined with clouds and waves. Executed in the fifteenth or sixteenth century, the piece exemplifies the traditional Chinese format of monochrome brush painting, where the figure of the dragon dominates the composition against a minimalistic atmospheric backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a dragon, a recurring motif in Chinese cultural narratives symbolizing power, auspiciousness, and the control of natural forces. By situating the creature amid swirling clouds and turbulent water, the artist underscores the dragon’s command over both sky and sea, reflecting its mythic role as a regulator of weather and water.
Technique & Style
Rendered in ink alone, the artist employs varied brushstrokes to suggest the dragon’s muscular form, the billowing clouds, and the churning waves. The use of silk as a support allows for a smooth, absorbent surface, enabling subtle tonal gradations and the crisp, decisive lines characteristic of Chinese literati painting.
History & Provenance
The scroll originates from the late Ming period, a time when ink painting on silk was a common medium for both court and scholar artists. Although the creator remains unknown, the piece was later acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it forms part of the museum’s collection of East Asian paintings.
Artist & collection
