Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 11 works by Ma Lin in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Ma Lin's most famous painting is Landscape with great pine (1201), whose original hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei (1225) and Seated Portrait of Fu Xi (1230) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 11 works by Ma Lin in our catalog, the gallery presents the 11 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
Ma Lin’s Landscape with Great Pine: A Symphony of Symbolism and Innovation Ma Lin's "Landscape with Great Pine" stands as a testament to the artistic spirit of the Southern Song dynasty, capturing not merely a visual representation of nature but also profound Daoist ideals. Created in 1201, this silk painting measuring 25 x 26 cm resides within The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, offering viewers an unparalleled glimpse into the…
A scholar reclines upon a rugged, dark outcrop, positioned at the edge of a vast, misty void. This circular composition, or tondo, captures a moment of quiet contemplation inspired by the verse: "Walking to where the water ends, I sit and watch when clouds arise." The figure gazes toward a distant, ethereal mountain peak that emerges from a sea of swirling mist. The composition relies heavily on negative space to…
This work, titled Seated Portrait of Fu Xi, is a significant example of the painting traditions of the Southern Song dynasty. Created by the court painter Ma Lin, the piece offers a focused study of the mythological figure Fuxi. It is a vertical composition that captures the subject in a moment of quietude, presented through a classical ink and color approach on silk or paper.
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 6 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Ma Lin | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 3 | Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei, Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds; Poem by Wang Wei, Landscape with Flying Geese |
 National Palace Museum |
Taipei | 3 | Seated Portrait of Fu Xi, Standing Portrait of King Yu of Xia, Listening Quietly to Soughing Pines |
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 2 | Landscape with great pine, Untitled (D2X89S) |
 Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art |
Providence | 1 | Magpies and Flowering Plum Tree |
 MOA Museum of Art |
Atami | 1 | Solitary Fisherman on a Wintry River |
 The Palace Museum |
Beijing | 1 | Mume Twigs |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Ma Lin’s Landscape with Great Pine: A Symphony of Symbolism and Innovation Ma Lin's "Landscape with Great Pine" stands as a testament to the artistic spirit of the Southern Song dynasty, capturing not merely a visual representation of nature but also profound Daoist ideals. Created in 1201, this silk painting measuring 25 x 26 cm resides within The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, offering viewers an unparalleled glimpse into the…
A scholar reclines upon a rugged, dark outcrop, positioned at the edge of a vast, misty void. This circular composition, or tondo, captures a moment of quiet contemplation inspired by the verse: "Walking to where the water ends, I sit and watch when clouds arise." The figure gazes toward a distant, ethereal mountain peak that emerges from a sea of swirling mist. The composition relies heavily on negative space to…
This work, titled Seated Portrait of Fu Xi, is a significant example of the painting traditions of the Southern Song dynasty. Created by the court painter Ma Lin, the piece offers a focused study of the mythological figure Fuxi. It is a vertical composition that captures the subject in a moment of quietude, presented through a classical ink and color approach on silk or paper.
Landscape with great pine (1201), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei (1225) and Seated Portrait of Fu Xi (1230) come next.
21 years old: Landscape with great pine dates from 1201, and Ma Lin was born in 1180.
Landscape with great pine, Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei, Seated Portrait of Fu Xi, Untitled (D2X89S), Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds; Poem by Wang Wei, Landscape with Flying Geese, Standing Portrait of King Yu of Xia, Listening Quietly to Soughing Pines, Magpies and Flowering Plum Tree and Solitary Fisherman on a Wintry River. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 11 works by Ma Lin, dated from 1201 to 1250.
Mostly in Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland), National Palace Museum (Taipei) and Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1200s: 2 of the 11 works on this page were made then, Landscape with great pine among them.
On this page, the earliest is Landscape with great pine (1201) and the latest Landscape with Flying Geese (1250).
Ink, for 2 of the 11 works on this page.
Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei, Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds; Poem by Wang Wei and Landscape with Flying Geese: the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland holds 3 of the works on this page.
Yes, as a reproduction: the original stays in its museum, but any painting on this page can be painted by hand for you, made to order one at a time, from the painting's own page.
