River and Mountain Landscape Possibly 1368 - 1644

Xiang Shengmo created this ink-on-paper landscape, titled "River and Mountain Landscape," during the Ming-Qing dynasty transition period in China. While landscape painting was an established genre by this time, its significance was deeply intertwined with the political and social climate. The literati, scholar-officials who were deeply engaged with cultural and political life, often used landscape painting to express their personal feelings about the world around them. During the Ming-Qing transition, many literati refused to serve the new Qing dynasty, choosing instead to withdraw from public life. Paintings such as this one, therefore, could represent a longing for a lost past or a desire for a peaceful, secluded life away from political turmoil. Through the visual codes of mountains, water, and trees, Shengmo participates in a centuries-long conversation about the role of the individual in society and about the relationship between humans and the natural world. To understand the complexities of this artwork, one could look at historical texts, biographies, and other artworks from the period.