Landscapes

Fan Qi

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

When Fan Qi created this album in 1646, Nanjing was still smoldering after the destructive Manchu invasion of the city and establishment of Qing rule. During this chaotic period, Fan Qi took refuge at the Buddhist Monastery of Pure Coolness (Qingliang Si), situated on a hill in the northwestern quarter of the city. These intimate paintings depict the local scenery of Nanjing as a series of idyllic retreats and express the artist’s desire to transcend the turmoil by remembering places that exist beyond the world of politics.

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