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

6 comments:

June Butler said...

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

Counterlight said...

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.

Counterlight said...

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.

June Butler said...

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

Anonymous said...

I love them

IT

JCF said...

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...]