Observing Rivers in Remote Mountains

This scene of a man enjoying a quiet, private moment in nature was a popular theme, especially among Ming-dynasty scholar-artists from the Wu region (modern Suzhou and Shanghai). In this painting by the Shanghai-born artist Wu Tong, an elderly man standing on a protruding bluff holds two hands together as if paying respect to some natural phenomena. His walking stick is carried by a young servant behind him. The remoteness of the scenery is suggested by the faraway mountains and few birds flying in the expansive sky.

Wu closely followed traditions in depicting the high mountains prevalent in classical works, yet his own inclination toward expressing the profound, solemn aspects of humanity is clearly present. He employed a range of brushwork and textures, from the thin mists in the clouds to heavily textured rocky hillocks. The figures’ natural poses are delicately executed with light strokes. The intricate clusters of bushes dotted in dark ink seem dynamic in the barren surroundings.