Water Album - Clouds Rising from the Green Sea 

"Clouds Rising from the Green Sea," was created by Ma Yuan during the Song Dynasty. Painted with ink and light color on silk, Ma Yuan has given us a slice of nature in this intimate work. In Song Dynasty China, landscape painting was more than just scenery; it was a reflection of philosophical ideas. Confucianism and Daoism emphasized harmony with nature and self-cultivation. As a court artist, Ma Yuan navigated the political landscape, seeking to capture the essence of the natural world, inviting viewers into a meditative space away from earthly concerns. Notice how the water is not still; it is rising. The clouds are full of potential. Ma Yuan's evocative work captures an ephemeral moment, a dance between the self and the landscape. The album leaf invites introspection, reminding us of the interconnectedness of nature and the human spirit.