Landscape 1634 - 1666

Zou Zhilin painted this ink on gold paper landscape fan in the 17th century, during the late Ming Dynasty. Zou Zhilin, a female painter from a celebrated family of artists, defies traditional gender roles. The cultural expectation for women at this time would be domestic duties, yet Zou achieved acclaim as a painter, poet, and calligrapher. In this intimate landscape, human presence is suggested through humble dwellings nestled into the natural world. Using ink wash, Zou captures a tranquil scene of scholar’s rocks, trees, and distant mountains. The fan’s delicate arc enhances the composition, inviting contemplation and escape from the chaos of the collapsing Ming Dynasty. Zou Zhilin’s work offers a personal reflection on nature, tradition, and feminine artistic expression in a time of political and social upheaval. It evokes a sense of longing for a peaceful, harmonious world.