Portrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of Suiyang

Portrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of Suiyang

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This portrait is one of a set that commemorates a gathering of five retired gentlemen at Suiyang, Henan Province. The sensitive delineation of features in contrast to the thick shaded brush lines of the garment reflects Tang dynasty conventions of official portraiture and a conservatism appropriate to the subject. Equally formal is the inscription written in regular script-a style also used for steles and official documents. Two portraits from this set of five are at the Freer Gallery, Washington, D.C., and two are in the collection of the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Portrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of SuiyangPortrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of SuiyangPortrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of SuiyangPortrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of SuiyangPortrait of Bi Shichang, from the set Five Old Men of Suiyang

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.