Snow-covered Mountains 1030 - 1067

Xu Daoning's "Snow-covered Mountains" (1030–1067), a Chinese ink and color painting on silk, depicts a winter landscape dominated by towering mountains shrouded in snow. The artist, a leading figure in the Northern Song dynasty, is known for his mastery of ink and brushwork, which he uses to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. This painting, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcases Daoning's ability to capture the beauty and serenity of the natural world. It's a fine example of the "shan shui" genre, a style of Chinese landscape painting emphasizing mountains and water.