Riverscape with moored boats 1667 - 1710

Wu Shan-tao painted this riverscape with ink on gold paper, likely in the late 17th or early 18th century. While this work is presented to us as a painting, it was originally mounted as a fan. These objects were often commissioned for social or ceremonial events. This is significant because it means this painting was originally made to be seen in a social setting, not a museum. The image depicts a broad vista of water, boats, and distant mountains. But what did this landscape mean to its original audience? During this period, the Qing dynasty replaced the former Ming rulers. Many artists turned to landscape painting as a form of political protest. By painting idealized versions of China’s natural beauty, they implicitly critiqued the new dynasty. The image creates meaning through this visual code. As historians, we must research the social and political context to understand art's place and meaning within the culture that produced it. We can look to historical documents and artworks, as well as the biographies of the artists to understand their potential motivations.