A Beauty
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
23 1/8 x 30 in. (58.7 x 76.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming (1368–1644) or Qing (1644–1911) dynasty
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.521
Tags
Art Historical Context
"A Beauty" is a captivating hanging scroll painting executed in ink and color on silk, a luxurious medium favored in traditional Chinese art for its luminous sheen and ability to hold delicate washes. Measuring 23 1/8 x 30 inches, this work depicts an elegant woman amid architectural elements like pavilions beds, and tent-like structures, evoking domestic scenes common in Chinese figure painting. Attributed variably to the unidentified artist or the Yuan dynasty master Qian Xuan (123–1305), it the refined literati style that influenced later generations, blending meticulous brushwork with subt...