Landscapes of Taiping Prefecture

Xiao Yuncong

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In 1648, the artist Xiao Yuncong designed a printed book of images that celebrate the mountain scenery of central Anhui Province. The book was commissioned by Zhang Wanxuan, who served as an official in Anhui at the beginning of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Prior to Xiao’s time, famous artists rarely designed prints; the adoption of this medium by Xiao and a few of his contemporaries reflects the porous boundaries between “high” and “low” culture during the seventeenth century. This relatively affordable printed book disseminated the tradition of local scenery paintings—and the stunning vistas of Anhui Province—to a wider audience.

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