Immortals Beneath the Pine Tree by Yu Ling

Immortals Beneath the Pine Tree 1653

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hanging-scroll, ink

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water colours

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asian-art

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landscape

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figuration

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hanging-scroll

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ink

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ancient-mediterranean

Dimensions 60-15/16 x 36-3/4 in. (154.8 x 93.3 cm)

Yu Ling's "Immortals Beneath the Pine Tree" was made with ink and color on silk. The artist meticulously applied pigments to the woven silk surface to depict the immortals, using fine brushes to create delicate lines. The visual qualities of the work are defined by the characteristics of these materials. Silk offers a smooth, absorbent surface for the ink and colors, allowing the pigments to spread evenly and create subtle tonal variations. The fineness of the silk threads enables a high level of detail in the depiction of the figures and landscape. The use of ink and color wash creates a sense of depth and atmosphere. The production of such a painting involves skilled traditions associated with calligraphy, painting, and silk production, and represents a cultural and artistic heritage of traditional aesthetics. The labor-intensive nature of silk production and painting further imbues the artwork with cultural and historical significance. By examining the materials, process, and social context of "Immortals Beneath the Pine Tree," we can gain a deeper appreciation for the artist's skill.

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minneapolisinstituteofart's Profile Picture
minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

In a mountainous setting dominated by a venerable pine, five old men gather around a painting of Shoulao, the god of immortality. The inscription on the painting provides the reason for this choice of subject matter. It reads: During the eighth lunar month of the year, 1653, painted to wish old Kui prosperity and longevity on his fiftieth birthday. Xicun (West Village), Yu Ling. Virtually everything in the painting carries Daoist connotations of longevity, including the pine and rocks, the medicinal fungus tied to the walking staff, the rhinoceros horn cup, and the double gourd held by two of the men containing no doubt the elixir of immortality. Within the painting being viewed, Shoulao, Immortal of the Southern Pole, is accompanied by cranes, pine, and deer, all standard metaphors for long life. The style of Yu Ling's painting is that of the Zhe school of artists that flourished in the Zhejiang city of Hangzhou during much of Ming. Not surprisingly, Yu Ling is recorded as having spent most of his career working in that same city.

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