Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Search the Mountain: Leaf 411200s · Study 2004.1.41

Context from the museum

The principal—and largest—figure in this leaf depicts Erlang, a celestial commander in a popular myth. Here he wears full armor and holds his sword. Seated by a pine tree, he orders his celestial army to rid Mt. Guankou of the undesirable creatures in the wilderness, including a wolf, a small alligator, and a monkey dressed in human clothes. This subject was first painted by a Northern Song artist, Gao Yi, and remained popular through the Southern Song period and during the Ming dynasty. In this album, the Soushan Tu 搜山圖 (Search the Mountain) uses 10 leaves to complete its imagery. This is now the earliest known version of the narrative, as Gao Yi’s has not survived.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

A commander in armor is seated on a devil, surrounded by three more. One of his lieutenants (right) is whirling a snake in the air. On the left, demon-soldiers surround a monkey with human body.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Search the Mountain: Leaf 41 is 38.5 cm wide and 34.3 cm high, equivalent to approximately 15.2 × 13.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.12:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.13 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 12.8% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 130.8 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Search the Mountain: Leaf 41 in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Album; ink on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 38.5 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?