Landscape with Sailboat in River

Maker(s)
Artist: Gong Xian (ca. 1610-1689)
Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, 17th century
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 46.5 x 61.4 cm (18 5/16 x 24 3/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1989.6
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Album, Painting
Type

Album leaf

Keywords
boat, China, landscape, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), river, waterfall
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

The scholar-painter Gong Xian was a master at manipulating blank space juxtaposed with dark, inky forms to create powerful, sometimes foreboding landscape compositions.  Here the river is used to provide breathing space between the solid rock forms on either side.  The sailboat with its implied sense of motion animates the painting that is otherwise dominated by the stationary mountain forms.  The paintings in this album have suffered much damage over time and have been restored to fill in worm holes and abraded areas;  the ink brushwork, however, is entirely original.

Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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