Winter landscape 1500 - 1549

Jiang Song painted this winter landscape with ink on paper in the sixteenth century. Notice how stark trees dominate this grey scene; in the East they have symbolized resilience for centuries. Their leafless branches against the cold backdrop evoke a sense of introspection and endurance. We see this symbol echoed in the works of classical antiquity, from the stoic philosophers contemplating the bare necessities of life to the early Christian hermits seeking spiritual purification in desolate landscapes. Consider the twisted, gnarled trees in medieval illuminated manuscripts, each knot and bend a testament to time's relentless passage. The psychological weight of this motif lies in its ability to stir our collective memories of survival, connecting us to those primal feelings of facing adversity and finding strength within. The stoic tree is a visual reminder of the enduring power of the human spirit.