Angling in the Autumn River

Sheng Zhu

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Both this painting and Recluse Fisherman, Autumn Trees by Sheng Zhu's uncle Sheng Mou are executed in a brush idiom that recalls the Five Dynasties tradition of Dong Yuan (active 930s-960s) and Juran (active ca. 960-95), in which "hemp-fiber" texture strokes were applied in round parallel brushstrokes and plump "moss dots" were used to model the rocks. An insistent kinesthetic energy in Sheng Mou's brushwork relates it to that of Wu Zhen (1280-1354); the nephew's more casual style of painting introduces a new, relaxed feeling into the landscape and figural elements.

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