Searching the Mountains for Demons 1612 - 1644

This ink and color on paper scroll, "Searching the Mountains for Demons", was created by Zheng Zhong, a Ming dynasty painter. The long horizontal composition invites the eye to wander through a landscape populated with figures rendered in vivid colors and dynamic lines. Notice how the artist uses contrasting textures—smooth washes for the mountains, and sharp, precise lines for the figures’ clothing—to create visual interest and depth. The figures are arranged in small groups, their postures and expressions suggesting a narrative that unfolds as we move across the scroll. Zhong's integration of text within the visual elements of the landscape adds another layer of semiotic complexity. The scroll destabilizes traditional landscape painting by infusing it with narrative and symbolic content. This fusion of landscape and narrative elements underscores the communicative power of art.