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Man on a Bridge

dated 1889
Not on view
Ren Yi, like his contemporary and friend Xugu (1823–1896), experimented with the realistic rendering of natural scenery instead of producing traditional landscapes composed of conventional compositions and brushstroke formulas. Here, he used irregular patches of wash and hatching to convey the impression of naked branches. Ren approached the picture as a Western artist sketching nature might have, asking "How can I render what I see?" rather than attempting to imitate Western art.

Photographs, regularly published in newspapers and magazines in Shanghai as early as the 1870s, shattered traditional Chinese concepts of picture making and had more to do with changing attitudes in landscape painting in the late nineteenth century than any direct influence of Western art.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 清 任頤 軸
  • Title: Man on a Bridge
  • Artist: Ren Yi (Ren Bonian) (Chinese, 1840–1896)
  • Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
  • Date: dated 1889
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on bark paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 37 in. × 24 1/4 in. (94 × 61.6 cm)
    Overall with mounting: 80 × 29 3/4 in. (203.2 × 75.6 cm)
    Overall with knobs: 80 × 32 7/8 in. (203.2 × 83.5 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, in memory of La Ferne Hatfield Ellsworth, 1986
  • Object Number: 1986.267.50
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

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Scholar on a rock, Ren Yi (Ren Bonian) Chinese, Folding fan mounted as an album leaf; ink and color on paper, China
Scholar on a rock
Ren Yi (Ren Bonian)
ca. 1880
Archer's Ring (清 扳指), Bone, Chinese
Archer's Ring (清 扳指)
Chinese
17th–19th century
Grazing Horse, Xu Beihong Chinese, Hanging scroll; ink on bark paper, China
Grazing Horse
Xu Beihong
dated 1932
Animals, Flowers and Birds, Ren Yi (Ren Bonian) Chinese, Album of eight leaves; ink and color on paper, China
Animals, Flowers and Birds
Ren Yi (Ren Bonian)
19th century
Ceremonial Armor for a High Ranking Official, Steel, copper, gold, silk, metallic thread, Chinese
Ceremonial Armor for a High Ranking Official
Chinese
18th century

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