Landscape with solitary figure

Landscape with solitary figure

Shitao (Zhu Ruoji)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Leaning on a staff for support, a gentleman pauses on a mountain path to gaze into a misty void. Shitao used dry, charcoal-like ink to texture the rock and tree surfaces of this small scene, imparting a rough, tactile quality. Only the tiny figure, his back turned to us as he contemplates the forces of nature, is painted with pinpoint sharp lines.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Landscape with solitary figureLandscape with solitary figureLandscape with solitary figureLandscape with solitary figureLandscape with solitary figure

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.