Album leaf
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Album leaf” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
A solitary scholar sits quietly in a small boat while his attendant poles them across a tranquil river. The scene evokes the long-standing literati ideal of yuyin—”reclusion in a fishing boat”—in which the boat serves as a symbol of withdrawal from official life and worldly ambition. The scholar’s broad hat, traditionally associated with the Song poet Su Shi, reinforces his identity as a cultivated gentleman rather than a fisherman. Soft washes of ink and restrained color create a serene atmosphere, while the broad expanse of water and mist suggests both physical and spiritual distance from society. The image celebrates the freedom, reflection, and poetic sensibility associated with the life of the recluse.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 2013.13.4
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — public domain
