LACMA

A landscape of rocks, trees, plants, and animals spreads across this handscroll. This image is only a part, or detail, of the entire scroll, which measures twenty-five feet long. In this detail, a robed figure stands on a rocky plateau and looks out at the landscape in front of him. This is just one of many handscrolls artist Xiang Shengmo made and called Beckoning of Solitude. He made the scrolls to represent his desire to leave behind his public life and enjoy a peaceful existence alone.

A handscroll is a horizontal painting usually made from pieces of silk and paper joined together with paste and a backing of paper. A handscroll is usually kept rolled up and stored in a box until the owner wants to look at it or share it with friends. Scrolls are often unrolled at arm's length on a table and are viewed from left to right. The viewer holds the unseen portion of the scroll in his or her left hand while pulling it out and rerolling it with the right hand.

Xiang Shengmo includes realistic details in this landscape but the image does not represent a specific place. It is an ideal setting the artist imagined. What would your ideal retreat look like? Write a description of that special place or draw a picture of it.

When viewing Beckoning of Solitude, the viewer would look carefully at all the details of the landscape and imagine himself or herself in that place. Imagine traveling through this landscape. Where would the journey take you? What would you see, hear, smell, and touch?

Search Collections Online to see additional details of this and other handscrolls.

Xiang Shengmo (China, Zhejiang Province, 1597–1658)
Beckoning of Solitude (Zhaoyin tu), Ming dynasty, dated 1626
Ink on paper, 11 1/2 x 300 in. (29.21 x 762 cm)
Los Angeles County Fund (60.29.2)
Photo © 2009 Museum Associates/LACMA