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Ink painting

Brush, ink and an absorbent surface make a remarkably expressive combination. In Chinese painting, brushwork has a close relationship with calligraphy.

THE TOOLKIT

Brush · ink · inkstone · paper or silk

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Follow changes in the density of ink and the rhythm of the brush. Where does the unpainted surface become part of the composition?

READ FURTHERMuseum learning resource ↗

A simplified process; practices vary across places and periods.

From material to image.

01
Prepare the ink
02
Load the brush
03
Vary pressure and speed
04
Build lines and washes

Find it in the collection

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Cherry Blossoms in the Wind

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · late 1790s

Cherry Blossoms in the Wind

Utagawa Toyokuni

The Thousand Acres of Clouds, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · after 1490

The Thousand Acres of Clouds, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou

Shen Zhou

Reminiscences of Qinhuai River

China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911) · 1642–1707

Reminiscences of Qinhuai River

Shitao

Playing the Qin in a Secluded Valley

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · 1548

Playing the Qin in a Secluded Valley

Wen Zhengming

Mount Hua

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · 1506

Mount Hua

Tang Yin

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) · 1330–35

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

Creator not recorded

IranMiddle East and North Africa

Distant View of Tiger Hill from the Canal Mooring, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · after 1490

Distant View of Tiger Hill from the Canal Mooring, from Twelve Views of Tiger Hill, Suzhou

Shen Zhou

Flowering Crab Apple

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · 1500

Flowering Crab Apple

Shen Zhou

Old Trees by a Wintry Brook

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · 1551

Old Trees by a Wintry Brook

Wen Zhengming

Old Pine Tree

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · late 1530s

Old Pine Tree

Wen Zhengming

Listening to the Qin

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · late 1400s–early 1500s

Listening to the Qin

Attributed to Tang Yin

Scholar-Hermits in the Autumn Mountains

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · 1500–1510

Scholar-Hermits in the Autumn Mountains

Tang Yin

Rocks, Orchid, and Bamboo

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911) · 1662

Rocks, Orchid, and Bamboo

Shitao

Spring Mist over Jiangnan

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911) · 1697

Spring Mist over Jiangnan

Shitao

Drinking in the Moonlight

China, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) · late 1100s–early 1200s

Drinking in the Moonlight

Attributed to Ma Yuan

Watching the Deer by a Pine Shaded Stream

China, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) · 1127–1279

Watching the Deer by a Pine Shaded Stream

Ma Yuan

Hinazura of Chōjiya from the series Beauties as the Seven Komachi

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · c. 1793–97

Hinazura of Chōjiya from the series Beauties as the Seven Komachi

Utagawa Toyokuni

Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Gotenyama

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · late 1700s–early 1800s

Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Gotenyama

Utagawa Toyokuni

Arhat

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) · 1235

Arhat

Creator not recorded

Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) · early 1500s

Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist

Creator not recorded

Seven Jeweled Mountain

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) · late 1800s

Seven Jeweled Mountain

Creator not recorded

Landscape with Streams and Mountains

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) · late 1700s or early 1800s

Landscape with Streams and Mountains

Creator not recorded

Tobias Healing His Father's Blindness

Netherlands · c. 1640–45

Tobias Healing His Father's Blindness

Rembrandt van Rijn

NetherlandsEurope

The Mender

France, 19th century · c. 1881

The Mender

Camille Pissarro

FranceEuropeImpressionism

Various Sketches of the Madonna and Child (recto)

Italy, Venice · c. 1580

Various Sketches of the Madonna and Child (recto)

Paolo Veronese

Repository for the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and Eleven Volumes of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

Japan, Heian period (794–1185) · late 1100s

Repository for the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and Eleven Volumes of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra

Creator not recorded

Mughal ruler Humayun defeating the Afghans before reconquering India, folio from an Akbar-nama (Book of Akbar) of Abu’l Fazl (Indian, 1551–1602)

Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) · c. 1590

Mughal ruler Humayun defeating the Afghans before reconquering India, folio from an Akbar-nama (Book of Akbar) of Abu’l Fazl (Indian, 1551–1602)

Creator not recorded

IndiaSouth Asia

Seven Leaves from a Manuscript of the Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array)

Nepal · 1000s-1100s

Seven Leaves from a Manuscript of the Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array)

Creator not recorded

NepalSouth Asia

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto); Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) · 1330–35

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto); Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

Creator not recorded

IranMiddle East and North Africa

Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto); Portrait of Nushirwan the Just (verso) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)

Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) · 1330–35

Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto); Portrait of Nushirwan the Just (verso) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)

Creator not recorded

IranMiddle East and North Africa

Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads

Ottoman Turkey, Istanbul · mid-1500s

Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads

Attributed to Sahkulu

TurkeyMiddle East and North Africa

Bamboo in the Wind

China, Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) · 1300s

Bamboo in the Wind

Puming

ChinaEast AsiaLiterati painting

River Village: Fisherman's Joy

China, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) · c. 1302–3

River Village: Fisherman's Joy

Zhao Mengfu

ChinaEast AsiaLiterati painting

Plum Tree

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · c. 1700

Plum Tree

Ogata Kōrin

JapanEast AsiaRinpa

Chrysanthemums by a Stream

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · c. 1715–30 or after

Chrysanthemums by a Stream

Possibly by Ogata Kōrin

JapanEast AsiaRinpa

A Mughal courtier

Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556–1605) · c. 1575; border added probably 1700s

A Mughal courtier

Creator not recorded

IndiaSouth AsiaMughal painting

Maru Ragini, from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies)

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Amber or Southwestern India, Deccan · 1650–80

Maru Ragini, from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies)

Creator not recorded

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Amber or Southwestern India, DeccanSouth AsiaRajput painting

English Babu (Native Indian Clerk) Holding a Hookah

Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat · c. 1890

English Babu (Native Indian Clerk) Holding a Hookah

Creator not recorded

IndiaSouth AsiaKalighat painting