China
Yuan Dynasty, 1230–1368

This extraordinarily long handscroll—nearly 35 feet—was never intended to be seen in its entirety, but unrolled only sections at a time by a seated viewer. Nor did the artist intend to portray a single visual experience, but rather a horizontal movement through time and place, with each segment symbolizing a fragment of eternity. By reflecting upon the diverse images, the viewer would experience an imaginary journey through nature that would nourish and refresh the spirit.

In format, composition, and style, this painting represents the grand manner of the painter Guo Xi (about 1020–1090), the most famous landscape artist of the Northern Song Dynasty. In Chinese culture, the unknown painter of this scroll was not considered less worthy for imitating an existing work or artist—styles developed by earlier masters were revered for centuries and later artists studied and reproduced them so that they could attain a sense of identity with tradition.

Handscroll, ink on silk, 1300–1400
Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, 1927.151