Pine Tree and Rocks in Circular Fan Shape -- Illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting (Shizhuzhai shuhua pu) before 1703

Curator: Hu Zhengyan, born in 1584, gives us "Pine Tree and Rocks in Circular Fan Shape," an illustration originally from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting. Editor: It feels like a quiet afternoon, doesn't it? That old pine, so gnarled and leaning, it's got stories etched in every line. Curator: The circular format imposes a certain constraint, directing the viewer's gaze. Note how the artist balances the organic form of the pine with the geometric precision of the circle. Editor: Yeah, but it's more than just shapes. The colors are soft, almost whispering. It's like a memory. The rocks anchoring the tree, like they are keeping it grounded. Curator: Indeed, the use of color blocks and line work reflects the artist's meticulous attention to detail and a desire to convey a particular aesthetic sensibility. Editor: It's less about the technique, though, and more about the feeling it leaves you with, right? A sense of calm, maybe a touch of melancholy. Curator: Perhaps both. It serves as an interesting example of late Ming aesthetics when viewed through the lens of formalism. Editor: For me it is the feeling I won't forget, it has something about solitude and beauty.