Plum Branch

Yi Yu-won

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

As one of the earliest trees to flower, the plum, a popular subject in painting, represents winter. The delicate but tenacious beauty of plum blossoms blanketed in late winter snow was taken by Confucian scholars as a metaphor for facing hardship with dignity and elegance. Yi Yu-won, a recognized painter, poet, and calligrapher as well as a distinguished scholar-official, served as prime minister under Emperor Gojong (reigned 1864–1907). In this work he skillfully juxtaposed the strong, angular strokes of the plum branch with thin, precise offshoots dotted with delicate blossoms. Painting on a gray background evocative of an overcast day, Yi created depth through the inclusion of a smaller branch whose shape echoes that of the main one in a lighter hue.

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