元 王冕 墨梅圖 軸|Fragrant Snow at Broken Bridge
14th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on silk
Dimensions
Image: 44 1/2 x 19 3/4 in. (113 x 50.2 cm) Overall with colophons: 68 x 19 3/4 in. (172.7 x 50.2 cm) Overall with mounting: 106 1/8 x 25 1/4 in. (269.6 x 64.1 cm) Overall with knobs: 106 1/8 x 29 1/2 in. (269.6 x 74.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Ex coll.: C. C. Wang Family, Purchase, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, by exchange, 1973
Accession Number
1973.121.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
Wang Mian's *Fragrant Snow at Broken Bridge*, a masterful hanging scroll from the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), captures the serene beauty of plum blossoms blanketed in snow at the iconic Broken Bridge in Hangzhou's West Lake. Created in the 14th century using ink on silk, this work exemplifies the elegant simplicity of literati painting, where minimalist brushwork evokes nature's quiet resilience. At 44½ x 19¾ inches, the image is a focal point within an extended scroll format, traditionally unrolled for intimate contemplation or display during gatherings. Wang Mian (ca. 1287–1359), a scholar-ar...
About the Artist
Wang Mian · 1287–1359
Wang Mian (1287–1359), courtesy name Yuanzhang and known by pseudonyms such as Zhushi Shannong ("Mountain Farmer who Cooks Rocks"), was born into a peasant family in Zhuji, Zhejiang province, during the Yuan dynasty. Ambitious to rise above his humble origins, he prepared rigorously for the imperial examinations but failed to earn the coveted jinshi degree. He then pursued studies in ancient milit...