Setting Sun on the Autumn River

Pan Yunyu

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

As the sun sets behind him, a solitary scholar sits in the prow of a skiff on a placid river. On the nearby bank a grove of trees explodes in autumn colors, while on the distant shore a stand of trees is silhouetted against a mountain ridge. The river is often presented in Chinese painting as a place of escape from the cares of the world; in his boat, far removed from official duties, the scholar meets true repose.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art