Wintery Bough and Magpies 1368 - 1911

"Wintery Bough and Magpies" is an anonymous Chinese painting from the Yuan Dynasty, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting depicts a sparse, wintry landscape dominated by a gnarled, leafless tree, with magpies perched on its branches. The artist's use of ink and brushstrokes creates a sense of stillness and tranquility, characteristic of the "shan shui" style of Chinese landscape painting. This small-scale work, executed on silk, is a testament to the enduring appeal of the natural world in Chinese art.