Snow Clearing: Landscape after Li Cheng

Wang Hui

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Defying the dictum of the authoritative theorist Dong Qichang (1555–1636) that "in painting it is better to be descriptively obscure rather than to be obvious," Wang Hui regarded calligraphic abstraction and mimetic representation as "the two wings of a bird." Inspired by Li Cheng's (919–967) descriptive idiom of jagged rock formations and spiky "crab-claw" wintry trees, which demand representational skill as well as calligraphic discipline, Wang's perfectly controlled lyrical composition—a snowscape of enchanted stillness-celebrates the beauty of nature. Painted for Zhou Lianggong (1612–1672), a high-ranking official who was facing unjust charges of corruption, Wang's choice of the Li Cheng style was significant. Li's winter landscapes had long been viewed as emblems of survival in the face of adversity, so Wang's painting may be read as an expression of sympathy and encouragement.

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