High Mountains

High Mountains

Hou Maogong  (Chinese, active ca. 1540–1580)

Period:

Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Date:

dated 1569

Culture:

China

Medium:

Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper

Dimensions:

Image: 46 5/8 x 11 in. (118.4 x 27.9 cm) Overall with mounting: 78 3/4 x 17 in. (200 x 43.2 cm) Overall with knobs: 78 3/4 x 20 1/2 in. (200 x 52.1 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Hou Mougong was a student of both Wen Zhengming (1470–1559) and Qian Gu (1508–1574). Inscriptions on his surviving works, ranging in date from 1544 to 1577, show that he was also on intimate terms with Wen's sons, Wen Peng (1498–1573) and Wen Jia (1501–1583), as well as with other members of the Suzhou artistic circle. High Mountains has the narrow format, pastel coloration, and attenuated figures, trees, and rocks that are typical of late-Wen-school landscape paintings. Hou's works are considered rare