Scholar in a Boat

Wei Zhihuang

16th-17th century

Ink on gold-flecked paper

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A scholar sits in a boat on a body of water, surrounded by trees and tall grass. Birds are visible in the sky and near the water's edge. This fan painting by Wei Zhihuang depicts a tranquil riverside, with clusters of trees and reeds framing a small boat. Within it sits a solitary recluse, a popular motif in Chinese landscape painting. Reclusion symbolized the scholar’s withdrawal from worldly affairs in pursuit of purity, self-reflection, and harmony with nature. Here, the quiet presence of the lone figure amid expansive waters conveys a vision of peace and detachment. Wei’s scene turns the fan into a poetic meditation on solitude, renewal, and the timeless search for spiritual freedom. Gallery G203 Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton