Grapevine in the Wind

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A wind-tossed grapevine, heavy with ripening fruit, is rendered with masterfully fluent brush techniques. The sway of the serpentine branches is executed with strokes of changing speed and pressure to suggest both contour and volume in a technique known as “flying white” (in which areas of unpainted silk are left visible). The contrasting textures of the plump fruit and fragile leaves are achieved with carefully modulated tones of ink. Along with the so-called Four Gentlemen (plum, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and orchid), the grapevine was a favored motif among literati painters of the Joseon dynasty. As a vehicle for displaying the artist’s calligraphic techniques and styles—a talent every scholarly gentleman was expected to possess—ink monochrome works of grapevines were considered a worthy part of the literati painter’s repertoire.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art