Minneapolis Institute of Art

Fishing Under a Pine Tree

attributed to Zhao Mengfu

Date

14th century

Medium

Ink and color on silk

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This fan painting depicts a solitary scholar seated beneath a towering pine, quietly fishing at the water’s edge. The scene embodies the popular theme of eremitism in Chinese landscape painting—the ideal of retreat from worldly affairs to pursue a life of simplicity, contemplation, and harmony with nature. The pine tree, evergreen and enduring, symbolizes steadfast virtue and resilience, echoing the scholar’s chosen path of withdrawal. Such imagery resonated deeply with the literati, or scholar-artists, who often celebrated reclusion as a moral and spiritual stance. With its refined brushwork and intimate scale, the painting captures the timeless union of solitude and natural beauty. China, Asia

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