Mount Hua

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Artist: Tang Yin (Chinese, 1470–1524)
Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and light color on paper
Size: Painting: 116.4 x 41.4 cm (45 13/16 x 16 5/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 213.5 x 66.7 cm (84 1/16 x 26 1/4 in.)
Culture: China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Museum: Cleveland Museum of Art
Rights: CC0 — no rights reserved

In this work, Tang Yin accumulates towering mountain summits in the manner of the Sung master, Li Tang, to capture the monumental presence of his subject. Tang Yin’s angular brushstrokes and ink washes of varied intensity give texture to the rocky surface and accent the play of light. Mount Hua is situated in southern Shaanxi province in North China. Hardly accessible during Tang Yin’s time, the mountains were frequented by immortality seekers to dwell or collect herbal drugs there.

Tang Yin's potentially brilliant career was shattered in 1499 after he went to the capital to take the jinshi examination. He got entangled in a bribery case that caused him to spend seven years in prison. After his release, Tang returned to Suzhou, and settled on a career as a professional painter. One of Tang's few dated works, Mount Hua was painted seven years after this incident.