Waves in the moonlight

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This composition calls to mind paintings of the tidal bore, an annual event where exceptionally high tides push into the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, resulting in a powerful tidal wave that runs up the course of the river. When the imperial capital was moved to Hangzhou during the Southern Song dynasty, the tidal bore became a subject for court painters, and this painting was likely created in that milieu. Most paintings of this type include at least a patch of shore for context, but the unidentified painter of this fan places us in the river itself, with only the moon to provide a sense of direction.

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