Divinities of the Planets and Constellations

Divinities of the Planets and Constellations

Qiu Ying

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The subject and imagery of this painting are derived from a composition attributed to the Tang dynasty (618–907) artist Liang Lingzan that is now in the collection of the Osaka Municipal Museum of Art. The painting depicts the deities of the Five Planets, which correspond to the five primary elements—wood (Jupiter), fire (Mars), earth (Saturn), metal (Venus), and water (Mercury)—and the twenty-eight constellations of the Chinese zodiac. Qiu Ying, a fine artist in his own right, was also famous as a skilled copyist of earlier paintings. Such copies were highly valued by collectors and other artists who might not have access to the originals. This painting bears the signature and seals of Qiu Ying but may itself be a later copy.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Divinities of the Planets and ConstellationsDivinities of the Planets and ConstellationsDivinities of the Planets and ConstellationsDivinities of the Planets and ConstellationsDivinities of the Planets and Constellations

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.