Chrysanthemum and loquat 1948

Qi Baishi made this painting, *Chrysanthemum and loquat*, with ink and colour on paper. Look at those dark, bold brushstrokes contrasting with the delicate washes of colour! I can almost see Baishi moving his brush across the page, carefully building up the forms of the chrysanthemum and loquat. I bet he was thinking about balance, right? How to create a dynamic composition with these contrasting elements. The dark leaves anchor the image, while the yellow loquats add a pop of brightness and energy. Notice how he uses the white of the paper to create space and light? I bet other painters such as Morandi were on his mind, too. It’s like he’s capturing a fleeting moment in nature, but also something timeless. Painting is like that, isn't it? A way of slowing down and really seeing the world. The painting resonates with this great tradition, it’s like the painting itself is in conversation with other images and other ways of seeing.