The hamlet at the foot of the rock 1707

'The Hamlet at the Foot of the Rock' was made by Shitao in China, using ink and color on paper. Look closely, and you can see how the materials and methods shaped the image. Ink, when applied with a brush, allows for a huge range of tones and textures – think of the way that Shitao renders the rugged surfaces of the rock formation. The artist seems to have diluted his ink to create the light washes of tone, while building up layers of darker ink to give the rock its striking three-dimensionality. While landscape painting was considered a ‘high art’ in China at the time, we can still appreciate it for its basis in practical skill. Applying the ink with such control would have taken years of practice, part of a tradition handed down through generations. Appreciating the ‘Hamlet at the Foot of the Rock’ through the lens of its making helps us see how it bridges both concept and craft.