Ink Tablet Decorated with Five Pines 1871 - 1933

Cheng Junfang made this Ink Tablet decorated with Five Pines sometime between 1541 and 1620. Look at these lines, so precise, they make me think about time and intention, about really careful looking, that slow and steady commitment to a thought. I’m really drawn to the surface of this piece, the way the incised lines define the trees, their bark, and the needles. It’s amazing how much depth and texture is conveyed with just those lines, right? Look at the way the artist suggests the density of the forest with those groupings of pine needles. The marks almost vibrate! I think about the hand that made these marks, the pressure applied, and the patience involved. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation across time, each mark a response to something seen, felt, or imagined. Like with Cy Twombly's scribbles, there's a kind of freedom in this discipline. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the act of searching.