Lotus 1948

Chang Dai-chien painted this 'Lotus' with ink and colour on paper. Here, the lotus blossoms and leaves rise boldly, embodying purity and spiritual awakening, values deeply embedded in Buddhist thought. This isn't merely a floral display; the lotus is a potent symbol, its roots in muddy waters yet its flower pristine. This mirrors the human condition: the capacity to rise above earthly struggles. We see echoes of this sentiment in ancient Egyptian art where the lotus represented rebirth and the sun, a parallel to the lotus's daily opening and closing. Consider how the lotus differs from the rose in Western art. The rose is often about earthly love and beauty, while the lotus transcends the material, focusing on enlightenment. Its visual presence taps into our collective unconscious, stirring a primal recognition of life's potential for renewal. The cyclical nature of the lotus, blooming, withering, and seeding, resonates with our deepest understanding of life's inherent rhythms and spiritual promise.