清 石濤(朱若極) 黃山三十六峰意圖 軸|Thirty-six Peaks of Mount Huang Recollected

Shitao (Zhu Ruoji)

ca. 1705 · Hanging scroll; ink on paper · Asian Art

Among the wide range of styles developed by Shitao is this splattered ink technique, which the artist once described as “ten thousand ugly ink dots.” In this monumental work, Shitao re-created the scenery of Yellow Mountain from memory with bold brushstrokes “written” in the robust calligraphic style of Yan Zhenqing (709–785). For Shitao, the ultimate mountain scenery was represented by the incomparable peaks of Mount Huang, the Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province. Here, the artist recalls himself as the tireless traveler searching for exciting scenery; the seal following his signature reads: “I search out all the strange peaks to make designs [for my paintings].”

Artist

Shitao (Zhu Ruoji)

Date

ca. 1705

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink on paper

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1976