Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 11 works by Ni Zan in our catalogue
In short
Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu) (1353) is the Ni Zan painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton. After it, the eye goes to Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove (1339) and Bamboo, Rock, and Tall Tree (1349). Among the 11 works of Ni Zan in our catalog, these 11 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
To gaze upon Twin Trees by the South Bank is not merely to observe a painting; it is to step into a moment of profound, contemplative stillness. This masterpiece by the Yuan dynasty master, Ni Zan, transports the viewer to a secluded corner of nature where time seems to slow its breath. The composition centers around two gracefully rendered trees, their branches reaching out like elegant calligraphy against a luminous…
We are looking at Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove, a work created by Ni Zan in 1339. This piece originates from a period when the artist was establishing his presence within the literati tradition. Ni Zan was born in 1301 in Wuxi, People's Republic of China, and his life would continue until his death in 1374. This specific painting captures a moment from his earlier years, predating the…
We are looking at Bamboo, Rock, and Tall Tree, a work created by the artist Ni Zan. This piece dates to about 1349, a period during which the artist was refining a highly personal approach to the landscape tradition. It is a quiet, contemplative work that reflects the specific sensibilities of the Yuan dynasty.
Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu) is an ink painting by the artist Ni Zan. Created in 1353, this work belongs to the Yuan Dynasty Art period. It is a Chinese landscape painting originating from the Late Medieval period. The composition focuses on two trees situated by a riverbank, a subject matter that reflects the artist's specific approach to landscape representation during this era.
Poetic Thoughts in a Forest Pavilion is a work by Ni Zan. The artist was born in 1301 in Wuxi, People's Republic of China, and lived until 1374. This specific piece dates from about 1366-1376.
The artwork titled The Distant Cold Flow Pine was created by the artist Ni Zan. This specific piece dates to about 1370. The artist, Ni Zan, was born in 1301 in Wuxi, People's Republic of China, and he died in 1374.
In this ink-monochrome landscape, we find ourselves looking upon a scene of profound stillness. The composition is defined by a sense of distance, where two prominent hills rise in the background, their forms softened by the passage of time. Scattered throughout the midground and foreground are trees and rocks, placed with a deliberate, sparse intention. There is a certain weight to the stones near the base of the hills, grounding…
Ni Zan, a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu, was one of the four leading painters of the Yuan dynasty. He was also an avid collector of ancient paintings and calligraphy and had the repository Qingbi Hall purpose-built for housing his collection.There are eight sheets to this scroll, of which the second, third, sixth and seventh are unquestionably authentic. The second is a set of poems written for the painter Chen Zhi…
In 1366, Ni Zan abandoned his home to escape marauding soldiers. Even after the establishment of the Ming dynasty in 1368, Ni continued the life of a wanderer, visiting old haunts that he had not seen for twenty or thirty years. According to his epitaph writer, Zhou Nanlao (1308–1383), "in his late years, he became quieter and more withdrawn than ever. Having lost or given away everything he ever owned,…
This painting was created by Ni Zan, one of the
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 Ni Zan | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 3 | Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove, Untitled (D2XA3N), Woods and Valleys of Mount Yu |
 Princeton University Art Museum |
Princeton | 1 | Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu) |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 1 | Bamboo, Rock, and Tall Tree |
 Art Institute of Chicago |
Chicago | 1 | Poetic Thoughts in a Forest Pavilion |
 The Palace Museum |
Beijing | 1 | The Distant Cold Flow Pine |
 China Modern and Contemporary Art Document Research Center |
Beijing | 1 | Fishing Village in an Autumn Clear Day |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
We are looking at Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove, a work created by Ni Zan in 1339. This piece originates from a period when the artist was establishing his presence within the literati tradition. Ni Zan was born in 1301 in Wuxi, People's Republic of China, and his life would continue until his death in 1374. This specific painting captures a moment from his earlier years, predating the…
We are looking at Bamboo, Rock, and Tall Tree, a work created by the artist Ni Zan. This piece dates to about 1349, a period during which the artist was refining a highly personal approach to the landscape tradition. It is a quiet, contemplative work that reflects the specific sensibilities of the Yuan dynasty.
To gaze upon Twin Trees by the South Bank is not merely to observe a painting; it is to step into a moment of profound, contemplative stillness. This masterpiece by the Yuan dynasty master, Ni Zan, transports the viewer to a secluded corner of nature where time seems to slow its breath. The composition centers around two gracefully rendered trees, their branches reaching out like elegant calligraphy against a luminous…
In this ink-monochrome landscape, we find ourselves looking upon a scene of profound stillness. The composition is defined by a sense of distance, where two prominent hills rise in the background, their forms softened by the passage of time. Scattered throughout the midground and foreground are trees and rocks, placed with a deliberate, sparse intention. There is a certain weight to the stones near the base of the hills, grounding…
Poetic Thoughts in a Forest Pavilion is a work by Ni Zan. The artist was born in 1301 in Wuxi, People's Republic of China, and lived until 1374. This specific piece dates from about 1366-1376.
Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu) (1353), Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton. Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove (1339) and Bamboo, Rock, and Tall Tree (1349) come next.
52 years old: Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu) dates from 1353, and Ni Zan was born in 1301.
Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu), Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove, Bamboo, Rock, and Tall Tree, Twin Trees by the South Bank (Annan shuangshu), Poetic Thoughts in a Forest Pavilion, The Distant Cold Flow Pine, Untitled (D2XA3N), Poems and Letters in Running Script\n\nImage 1, Woods and Valleys of Mount Yu and Fishing Village in an Autumn Clear Day. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 11 works by Ni Zan, dated from 1339 to 1372.
Mostly in Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Princeton University Art Museum (Princeton) and Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1370s: 4 of the 11 works on this page were made then, Poetic Thoughts in a Forest Pavilion among them.
On this page, the earliest is Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove (1339) and the latest Poems and Letters in Running Script\n\nImage 1 (1372).
Trees (5), Rocks (4) and Mountains (3), across the 11 works on this page.
Ink On Paper, for 7 of the 11 works on this page.
Enjoying the Wilderness in an Autumn Grove, Untitled (D2XA3N) and Woods and Valleys of Mount Yu: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York holds 3 of the works on this page.
