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Accession Number 2004.19.72.2 Title Album Leaf from Figures in River Landscapes Category albums Object Type album leaf Artist Wang Gai Date Made 1702 Place Made China Culture Chinese Period Qing 18th century Materials ink and colour on paper Description

This is the second leaf from the Figures in River Landscape album by Wang Gai (1677-1705), which is painted with ink and colour on paper. Each leaf contains a landscape, which was painted in situ by Wang Gai.…

This is the second leaf from the Figures in River Landscape album by Wang Gai (1677-1705), which is painted with ink and colour on paper. Each leaf contains a landscape, which was painted in situ by Wang Gai. Repeating themes throughout the album include figures immersed in the natural environment, which reflects the literati’s yearning and nostalgia.

This scene contains a scene of solitude within an all-encompassing landscape, in which a scholar and his attendant can be seen conversing in a cottage on the bank of a river. The two cottages, which are on stilts, are surrounded by the river, the mountains and a few pine trees. The foliage in the foreground is much darker and sharper than the landscape in the distance, which creates distance and also a misty dream-like atmosphere. The mountains in the far distance are painted with a wash of light blue paint, which adds to the peaceful scene.

Read More + Credit Line Gift of Sandy and Cécile Mactaggart