Immortal Rock 1878
wangyin
minneapolisinstituteofart
hanging-scroll
toned paper
old engraving style
tea stained
hanging-scroll
coffee painting
warm toned
china
warm-toned
watercolour illustration
golden font
botanical art
watercolor
"Immortal Rock," a 1878 ink-on-paper hanging scroll by Wang Yin (1829-1892), currently housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, depicts a single, abstract form of a craggy rock formation. The artist, known for his mastery of ink painting, uses a limited range of grays to convey the texture and depth of the rock, creating a sense of weight and solidity. The text on the painting, written in elegant calligraphy, provides context, likely referencing the symbolism of the rock in Chinese art and literature. This work exemplifies the enduring power of the traditional Chinese ink-and-brush style, emphasizing the essence of the subject with subtle brushstrokes.
Comments
Wang Yin was born in NanJing, Jiangsu province but worked primarily in Shanghai. Although a professional artist he espoused literati values and published manuals on plum, orchid, bamboo and rock painting. This classic taihu garden rock represents the Daoist embodiment of changefulness; its rhythmic form is pierced through with holes large and small suggesting the rigors and erosion of time. The inscription by Wang reads: When the phoenix flew away, heaven turned cold and the green "Wutong" tree died as did the grass. The rock perch alone remained; it stood in the clouds and awaited the ordinary birds. The phoenix call at sunrise lasted three thousand years. It was the end of the world. I often stop playing the "Qin" under the moonlight. It seems an immortal has emerged from the moon. Done by Wang Yemei in winter; twelfth month, 1878 at Kyoto.
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