Thirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang Recollected

Thirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang Recollected

Shitao (Zhu Ruoji)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Among the wide range of styles developed by Shitao is this splattered ink technique, which the artist once described as “ten thousand ugly ink dots.” In this monumental work, Shitao re-created the scenery of Yellow Mountain from memory with bold brushstrokes “written” in the robust calligraphic style of Yan Zhenqing (709–785). For Shitao, the ultimate mountain scenery was represented by the incomparable peaks of Mount Huang, the Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province. Here, the artist recalls himself as the tireless traveler searching for exciting scenery; the seal following his signature reads: “I search out all the strange peaks to make designs [for my paintings].”

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Thirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang RecollectedThirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang RecollectedThirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang RecollectedThirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang RecollectedThirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang Recollected

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.