Description
Xu You, a recluse who refused the throne offered to him by legendary Emperor Yao, chose instead to farm on Mount Ji. Sitting under cliffs, his left arm resting on his risen leg and his loose robe revealing his belly, he displays a nonchalant attitude. Xu You is wearing a laborer’s outfit, a short robe and tight leggings, while his composed pose and gentle features reveal his lofty character.
The composition shows rising mountains on the left juxtaposed by open space on the far right. Powerful brushstrokes and nuanced ink washes follow the style of the Southern Song (1127–1279) academy painters.
The composition shows rising mountains on the left juxtaposed by open space on the far right. Powerful brushstrokes and nuanced ink washes follow the style of the Southern Song (1127–1279) academy painters.
Provenance
Huang Lin 黄琳 [active about 1496–1532]; (Yabumoto Shogoro 藪本莊五郎 [20th century], Amagasaki, Hyogo, Japan, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (?–1974); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1974–)
Accession Number
1974.45
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and slight color on silk
Dimensions
Painting: 138.2 x 75.2 cm (54 7/16 x 29 5/8 in.); Overall with knobs: 232.5 x 96.3 cm (91 9/16 x 37 15/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund
