Updated oktober 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 11 works by Ma Lin in our catalogue
In short
If you know one Ma Lin painting, it's probably Landscape with great pine (1201), which hangs in the Metropolitanski muzej umetnosti, New York. Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei (1225) and Seated Portrait of Fu Xi (1230) round out the three pieces people recognise right away. Our catalogue has 11 works by Ma Lin. Below are the 11 people know best, each with its year, where to find it and what makes it special.
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 up most often in these pieces, each with its best-known 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 |
 Metropolitanski muzej umetnosti |
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 its standout piece.
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.
Top of the list is Landscape with great pine (1201), Metropolitanski muzej umetnosti, New York. Right behind it: Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds, Poem by Wang Wei (1225) and Seated Portrait of Fu Xi (1230).
21 years old. Ma Lin was born in 1180, and Landscape with great pine dates from 1201.
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. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.
We have 11 works by Ma Lin in our catalogue, dated 1201 to 1250.
You'll find most of them in Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland), National Palace Museum (Taipei) and Metropolitanski muzej umetnosti (New York). The museum list above has the full breakdown.
In 1200s, more than any other time: 2 of the 11 pieces on this page date from then, Landscape with great pine among them.
The earliest piece here is Landscape with great pine (1201); the most recent is Landscape with Flying Geese (1250).
Ink, used in 2 of the 11 pieces on this page.
You can see 3 of the pieces on this page at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, including 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.
Yes. Every painting on this page is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print, in the size that suits you. Just open the painting's page to order.
