Lofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of Juran

Lofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of Juran

Wang Jian

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Orthodox school master Wang Jian seldom painted figures or architecture. In this painting, however, Wang, who claims in his inscription to have been inspired by a work of the same title by Juran (act. ca. 960–95), has depicted a scholar seated in a handsome two-story studio overlooking an expanse of river. The idea of a mountain retreat also recalls Wang Wei's (699–759) Wangchuan Villa. The mountain forms, made with round "hemp-fiber" texture strokes and rich "alum-head" moss dots, are characteristic of the Juran brush idiom as interpreted by the Yuan master Wu Zhen (1280–1354). By executing the round arcs of these strokes in a rhythmical manner, Wang Jian invented the undulating compositional movements that his pupil Wang Hui (1632–1717) developed into the so-called dragon-vein principle.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Lofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of JuranLofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of JuranLofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of JuranLofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of JuranLofty Scholar among Streams and Mountains, in the manner of Juran

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.