Cleveland Museum of Art

Boating in Moonlight

Date

1600s

Medium

album leaf; ink on silk

Culture

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Painted in bold brushstrokes and ink wash, contrasting black and white, and occupied and voided space, this intimately sized painting depicts a scholar-hermit enjoying elegant boating under moonlight. The theme of a moonlight boat excursion below a cliff depicted in this work echoes the tradition of illustrating "Ode to the Red Cliff," a pair of poems by Su Shi, famous Northern Song Chinese poet (1037–1101). Look how many objects are contained in this little boat—a potted plant, a book, a pear-shaped lute, a tiered lunch box, a tea pot, and a portable stove.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.