The Ancient Tree Court 1871 - 1933

This is an ink tablet, called 'The Ancient Tree Court', by Jian Guzhai. It's so small! Like a pebble. It's like a tiny world. I love the way it invites you to get close and really look. There’s something about the precision of the carving that reminds me of printmaking, each line and curve so deliberate. It makes me wonder how the artist worked on this thing! The surface is so smooth, a dark matte grey that absorbs light. I imagine the artist carefully grinding the ink, then using the darkest black ink, and a very fine tool to carve into the surface. Look at the tree trunk, how it twists and turns. It reminds me of a Cy Twombly line. And then the delicate leaves, each one defined! It's like a microcosm of nature, a whole universe compressed into a tiny object. This piece reminds me that art doesn't have to be big to be powerful, that sometimes the smallest things can hold the greatest depth.