Ink Figure Painting "Viewing Waterfalls-Forest Springs and Clear Sound

Paintings featured

1. Simple ink and wash, ethereal mood:
   • White space and ink rhythm: light ink is used as the main tone, the waterfall is expressed by white space technique, the rocks are outlined by withered brush and burnt ink, and the distant mountains are dyed with light green like smoke and mist, conveying the clear mood of "fresh rain on the empty mountains";
   • Dynamic and static: the dynamic of the waterfall contrasts with the static of the scholar sitting still, and the pine branches leaning slightly with the wind, concealing the oriental aesthetics of "seeking silence in the midst of movement".
2. A delicate portrayal of the elegance of the literati:
   • The scholar's wide robe and simple clothes are outlined in "Gao Gu Yusi Tracing", with concise lines that show the elegance of the clothes; the ancient pine beside him is gnarled and gnarled, and the pine needles are colored by the method of "Saving Three and Gathering Five", which shows that both vitality and strength coexist.

Detailed depiction

• Waterfall with rocks:
  • Waterfall waterfall to leave a blank, the edge of the light ink lightly swept to simulate the water mist, below the water pool to wet brush light green halo ripples, seem to hear the "gurgling" sound;
  • Mountain rocks to "axe chopping" painting texture, alternating ink color jagged texture, stone moss points to stone green light embellishment, hidden natural interest.
• Characters and pine forests:
  • Gao Shi sitting on a futon, eyebrows lowered as if listening to the waterfall, holding a bamboo staff reclining on a stone platform, the lines of the folds of the clothes are sparse and dense, the belt around the waist is highlighted with light ochre;
  • The background of the ancient pine branches gnarled, pine needles to stone green clusters, sparsely scattered as umbrella cover the sky, pine roots exposed at the charcoal ink chapped to show the vicissitudes of time.
• Inscription seal:
  • Inscribed in seal script with the title "Fishing Wenzhi" in the upper left of the picture, and the seal in vermilion, "Viewing the Waterfall," in the lower right, echoing the ink color of the distant mountains and deepening the literati's interest in "carrying out the Way through paintings".

Artistic Value

1. Condensed expression of traditional ink:
   • Inheriting the Song Dynasty Ma Yuan's "landscape in a corner" composition and integrating the Yuan Dynasty Ni Zan's "sparse and empty" brushwork, the painting is simple and simple, demonstrating the aesthetics of "less is more";
   • The inscription, "Tu Cascade Guan", is written in cursive, with a brushwork that is like a waterfall pouring down, blending in with the mood of the picture and reflecting the literati tradition of poetry, calligraphy, painting and sealing.
2. Visualization of philosophical meanings:
   • Through the scene of the high priest watching the waterfall, it conveys the Taoist ideology of "unity of heaven and man" and "nothing outside the mind", and the picture is not only a natural scene, but also a depiction of the mind.

Suitable Scene

• Study/tea room: hanging next to the bookcase or tea table, with bamboo furniture, celadon incense burner, to create a "leaning against the pine waterfall, cooking tea in the snow" elegant atmosphere;
• Zen space: Combined with withered landscape and stone lanterns, it creates a meditative environment of "quietly observing flowing water, the mind is like stopping water";
• Cultural exhibition hall: as an example of traditional ink study, with "Linquan Gaozhi" and "Preface to Painting Landscapes" and other canonical books on display to deepen aesthetic education.

Purchase Information

1. Framing suggestions:
   • Traditional vertical scroll: indigo damask edging, ebony shaft head, ancient gluing process to prevent warping;
   • Modern floating framing: dark gray aluminum alloy frame + plain white cardboard, weakening the traditional form, suitable for new Chinese style, wabi-sabi style.
2. Conservation Guide:
   • Avoid light and moisture: storage humidity <55%, avoid direct sunlight leading to the yellowing of rice paper;.
   • Professional dusting: use a soft sable brush to gently brush the picture along the ink marks, avoid wet cloths or chemical cleaners;
   • Restoration Note: If there are creases or mold spots, you need to contact the antiquarian book restorer to use the "unmounted full-color" process to deal with.

**Hidden Ideas

• Poetry: Li Bai's poem "The Milky Way falls three thousand feet straight down, the Milky Way is suspected to be falling from the nine heavens" is inscribed at the cracks of the rock, which requires side-lighting for a closer look;
• Light and Shadow Narrative: Special alum water treatment is used in the white space of the waterfall, and the visual illusion of "sparkling water" is presented when the light is shining, which enhances the sense of immersion in the picture.

Collector's significance
Waterfall Viewing - The Sound of the Forest Spring" is not only a landscape painting, but also a flowing poem of oriental philosophy. When the waterfall is flowing, the greatness of nature can be seen; when the scholar sits in meditation, he can realize the clarity of the mind. Hanging this painting in the room, without the need to embellish, its own forest and spring into the heart, for the hustle and bustle of the world to open up a side of "listening to the waves and ask" the pure land.