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Mount Hua
by Tang Yin 唐寅
About the Artwork
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.
Inscriptions
Artist's inscription, signature, and 4 seals: Wearing a white-bordered scholar's robe and green jade pendants, His life is unconcerned with worldly fame. Like P'an Lang resisting old age through high spirits, Crazy and clumsy he rides his donkey past Mount Hua. T'ang Yin painted this and composed the poem, the first month of the year of the Cheng-te era [1506]. [2 seals] T'ang Tzu-wei yin; T'ang. [2 seals, lower left corner] Po-hu T'ang Yin ssu yin; T'ang Chü-shih. trans. LYSL 12 additional seals: 2 of Wang Shan (1645-1728); 5 of Liu Shu (1759-1816); 1 of Yeh Ao (19th c.); 1 label and 2 seals of Lu Hui (1851-1920); 2 seals unidentified.
Provenance
by 1909-?: Pang Yuanji 龐元濟 [1864–1949] Heizo Hayashi Cheng Qi 程琦 [1911–1988], to his son, Stephen O. K. Chen ?–1969: (Stephen O. K. Chen [20th century], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) 1969–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition history
Year in Review: 1969. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (January 27-February 22, 1970). Inspired by Chinese Landscape and Art – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 14, 2017-February 5, 2018).
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Tang Yin (Chinese, 1470–1523)
- Date
- 1506
- Medium
- hanging scroll; ink and light color on paper
- Dimensions
- 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.)
- Type
- Painting
- Classification
- Painting
- Department
- Chinese Art
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
- Accession no.
- 1969.116
More by Tang Yin 唐寅 in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00009848
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