Album Leaf 1774

0:00

paper, ink-on-paper, ink

asian-art

landscape

classical-realism

figuration

paper

ink-on-paper

ink

china

Dimensions 16 7/16 x 13 3/16 in. (41.75 x 33.5 cm) (image)19 3/4 x 15 5/16 in. (50.17 x 38.89 cm) (leaf, overall)19 15/16 x 15 15/16 x 1 1/4 in. (50.6 x 40.5 x 3.2 cm) (entire album, overall, closed)

Wang Chen created this Album Leaf using ink on paper, presenting us with a landscape dominated by mountainous forms and traditional architecture. The monochromatic palette and the texture of the ink create a subdued yet evocative atmosphere. Notice how the composition is structured around a series of vertical and diagonal lines, guiding the viewer's eye through the scene, from the cascading waterfall to the elevated architectural structure. The use of space is also notable; the artist employs a flattened perspective, typical of traditional Chinese painting, that invites contemplation on the relationship between nearness and distance. The brushstrokes vary in intensity, contributing to a sense of depth and movement. Wang Chen invites us to consider the interplay between the natural and the constructed, the transient and the enduring. These structural elements reflect broader cultural values that emphasize harmony, balance, and the search for inner peace through immersion in the natural world. The artwork challenges us to look beyond surface appearances and to engage with the deeper structures that shape our perceptions of reality.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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Born in Kiangsu province, Wang Ch'en was a descendant of the great literatus Wang Shih-min and a great grandson of the artist Wang Yuan-ch'i. He served for a while in the Grand Secretariat and as a prefect in Hunan province. Wang's illustrious family heritage strengthened his reputation as an orthodox painter and he is one of the so-called Four Minor Wangs of the later Ch'ing. Wang's inscriptions here indicate that the basis for this album of large landscapes was the natural scenery of Ch'u, a Warring States (480-221 BCE) kingdom located south of the Yangtze River. In 1774, Wang was serving as a low-level official in this region. His inscriptions also mention earlier poets and painters whose conceptual and stylistic influences along with natural scenery inspired the various scenes here, which were based on sketches made at the sites themselves. The inscriptions read: 1) The landscape of Ch'u is extremely scenic. I came across one place and sketched it but neglected to ask its name. 2) One morning I entered the sea in search of Li Po; looking in vain among the paintings of mere mortals for the "Immortal of Ink." 3) The ceremonial burial mounds and Szechuan are neat. This is a scene of entering the gorge. 4) I have used the brushwork of Shu-ming (Wang Meng) to paint the style of Old Man Sung-hsueh (Chao Meng-fu). There is resemblance because they are from the same family.