Lofty Mount Lu 1467

Shen Zhou made this ink and color on paper artwork, called "Lofty Mount Lu." Shen Zhou lived during the Ming Dynasty, a time when scholar-officials often withdrew from public life to pursue personal interests such as painting, calligraphy, and poetry. Painted when Shen Zhou was 64, this majestic landscape departs from traditional representations by infusing personal expression and emotion. The towering mountain fills the frame, conveying not just its physical grandeur but also the artist’s awe and humility before nature. We sense Shen Zhou's deep connection to the natural world, which served as a refuge from the political and social complexities of his time. The inscription at the top is dedicated to his teacher Chen Kuan; Shen commemmorates the influence of his teacher through the visual expression of the painting. It reflects the values of Confucianism, emphasizing moral cultivation and social harmony through personal reflection.