Xi Wang Mu with Feng Wang 1368 - 1911

Jiang Feng's "Xi Wang Mu with Feng Wang" presents us with a meditative scene, rendered in ink on silk. Its muted palette and soft gradations create a tranquil, almost dreamlike atmosphere. The composition centers on Xi Wang Mu, the Queen Mother of the West, depicted in profile, seated serenely amidst a landscape of subtly defined rocks and mist. The artist's delicate use of line and shading models form and suggests depth, while the negative space around the figures enhances the ethereal quality. Feng Wang, the Phoenix King, appears smaller, and lower in the composition as though in deference to the Queen Mother. It is a structural choice that establishes a visual hierarchy, suggesting the Queen's elevated status. The artwork prompts reflection on cultural symbols and on the visual language used to convey the subject's profound and multifaceted significance.