Streams and Mountains under Snow Scroll (《溪山雪意图卷》)

This Southern Song Dynasty (12th–13th century) masterpiece, long attributed to ​Liu Songnian (刘松年, fl. 1175–1224) as an imitation of Northern Song painter ​Gao Keming (高克明), is now widely recognized by scholars as an anonymous work from the early Southern Song period. Housed at the ​Metropolitan Museum of Art (donated by John M. Crawford Jr. in 1984), the scroll captures a serene winter landscape of snow-clad valleys, cottages, and winding streams.

Key Details:

1. ​Artistic Context & Authorship Debate
   • Originally labeled with Gao Keming’s signature and a forged inscription claiming creation in 1035 (“景祐二年少监簿臣高克明上进”), modern analysis of brushwork and composition reveals it aligns with Southern Song innovations like ​axe-cut texture strokes (斧劈皴) and ​focused foreground framing—distinct from Gao’s Northern Song “grand vista” style.
   • Scholars note similarities to Liu Songnian’s precision (e.g., Four Seasons of West Lake), but its softer ink modulation and balanced spatial rhythm suggest an earlier, transitional phase in Southern Song landscape painting.
2. ​Visual Narrative & Technique
   • The scroll unfolds as a ​winter idyll: snow blankets low hills, pine forests, and thatched cottages, while a lone traveler trudges across a frozen slope. A central stream divides the composition, with distant peaks and a bamboo grove framing the scene.
   • ​Innovative snow depiction: Unpainted “reserved white” areas suggest accumulated snow, while subtle ink washes create icy reflections on water. Trees are meticulously outlined with angular branches, contrasting with the soft, blurred contours of distant mountains.
3. ​Historical Provenance
   • Ming dynasty collectors like Zhu Gang (朱棡) and Wang Shizhen (王世贞) left seals, while Qing imperial seals (e.g., 石渠宝笈三编) confirm its inclusion in the palace collection.
   • The scroll’s journey to the U.S. reflects 20th-century dispersal of Chinese art, yet its Shiqu Baoji cataloguing underscores its historical prestige.
4. ​Legacy of Gao Keming & Liu Songnian
   • ​Gao Keming: A Northern Song court painter celebrated for integrating realism and poetic atmosphere. His Snow Scene was praised as “surpassing Guo Xi” by Emperor Gaozong, though no verified works survive.
   • ​Liu Songnian: A key figure of the Southern Song “Four Masters,” known for refined architectural details and seasonal motifs. His influence is evident in this scroll’s delicate balance of structure and mood.

Why It Matters:

This scroll bridges Northern Song monumental landscapes and Southern Song lyrical intimacy, embodying the shift toward ​emotional resonance over literal representation. Its misattribution history also highlights how later collectors mythologized early artists like Gao Keming to elevate works’ cultural cachet.

For further study, explore the Met’s digital archives or compare it with Liu Songnian’s Four Seasons of West Lake in the Palace Museum, Beijing.