Landscape 1788

Wang Chen created this ink on paper *Landscape* fan painting sometime in the 18th century. Working in the wake of the early Qing Dynasty, Wang Chen belonged to a literati class of artists and scholars who often expressed themselves through painting and calligraphy. This landscape offers us more than just a pretty view. For Wang Chen and his contemporaries, landscape painting was a medium through which to explore personal identity and cultural values. What does it mean to orient oneself within such a vast world? How do our actions impact it? And how does it impact us? Notice the small structures nestled within the mountains; they remind us of the delicate balance between humanity and nature. This work invites us to consider our place in the world and to reflect on the impact we have on the landscapes we inhabit.