Playing the Qin in a Secluded Valley

A tall hanging scroll shows steep rocky peaks rising above a deep valley, with waterfalls tumbling between cliffs and pines clinging to the slopes. A small seated figure near the lower center sits among trees in a clearing beneath the rock. Ink outlines and soft mineral green and ochre washes give the landscape a quiet, layered depth.

Look closer: A small seated figure playing a qin sits in the clearing among trees near the lower center.

Artist

Wen Zhengming

Date

1548

Medium

hanging scroll; ink and light color on paper

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Size

1493 × 3400 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund