Drinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern Festival

Drinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern Festival

Luo Ping

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Painted at the end of Luo Ping's first Beijing sojourn, this depiction of a gathering beneath a lantern to celebrate the first full moon of the year commemorates a moment of social interaction between the artist and his patron-friends. The "Bamboo Garden" mentioned in Luo's inscription may refer to the famous Yangzhou property he had visited with his mentor, Jin Nong (1687–1763). The scene represents a nostalgic evocation of the southern metropolis—a vision his Beijing patrons would have found appealing. The clearly articulated composition and painterly effects, indicative of Luo's gradual departure from Jin Nong's artistic legacy, are characteristic of his mid-career.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Drinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern FestivalDrinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern FestivalDrinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern FestivalDrinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern FestivalDrinking in the Bamboo Garden on the Lantern Festival

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.