Ode to the Orchid c. 1890

Editor: This is Yi Ha-Å­ng's "Ode to the Orchid," undated, at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite tall! The vertical arrangement of text and image feels very deliberate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The composition is defined by a series of vertical registers, each a plane for calligraphic exploration. Note how the brushstrokes vary in weight and direction, creating a dynamic tension. The gold ground, too, is not merely a background, but an active element. Editor: Active? How so? Curator: Observe the subtle variations in its surface. The texture interacts with the ink, modulating the light and shadow, thus affecting our perception of depth and form. The characters are like sculptural forms, aren't they? Editor: I see what you mean! It’s like the writing itself is the artwork. Curator: Precisely. And that careful interplay is where its brilliance lies.