Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Earth Day

For the occasion, here is a portfolio of Chinese painting from the Song Dynasty:


Emperor Huizong, Two Birds, ca. 1110



Guo Xi, Early Spring, 1072



Guo Xi, Early Spring, detail



Liu Cai, Fish Among Flowers, detail, ca. 1075



Liu Cai, Fish Among Flowers, detail



Ma Yuan, Scholar Contemplating the Moon, ca. 1200



Xia Gui, Twelve Landscape Views, detail, ca. 1225
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6 comments:

  1. June ButlerApril 22, 2009 at 1:42 PM

    Lovely all, but I prefer the "less is more" style of Chinese painting, as in the top picture and the three horizontal panels.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CounterlightApril 22, 2009 at 2:16 PM

    Mimi,

    The Japanese agree with you. Ma Yuan and Xia Gui had a huge influence on Japanese painting, and the Japanese loved collecting their work.

    ReplyDelete
  3. CounterlightApril 22, 2009 at 2:19 PM

    They also loved the work of the Emperor Huizong as well, as you can see. The painting is as carefully composed as the Japanese flower arrangements inspired by the emperor's work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. June ButlerApril 22, 2009 at 6:13 PM

    Counterlight, of course the Japanese agree with me, because I'm right.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 23, 2009 at 6:39 PM

    I love them

    IT

    ReplyDelete
  6. JCFApril 26, 2009 at 7:06 PM

    The top ones are so MIND-BOGGLINGLY OLD, for their level of sophistication! [When you think how cartoon-y Western art, like the Bayeaux tapestries, were at the same time. To each their own, of course...]

    ReplyDelete

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