Author:Chen Ding-Shan(1986-1989)

Category：Ink Painting

Year：1988

Introduction：This painting is one of Chen Ding-shan's later works. It depicts the scenic area around West Lake, specifically the Yongjin Gate, using a panoramic approach. The foreground is minimally represented at the bottom of the painting, showing only a simple ridge line. In the middle ground, Yongjin Gate is nestled among a cluster of mountains, with more distant mountains positioned higher up, forming a triangular composition. The space left blank for the sky features a poem that flows along the mountain ridges, harmonizing calligraphy with painting. The arrangement of mountains and rocks is open and sparse, separated by white clouds. The coloration primarily uses light indigo, ochre, and ink, employing a wiping technique to texture the surface of the rocks, with contours that are subtly defined. The brushwork is unrestrained, creating an ethereal, almost celestial atmosphere. The style, reminiscent of watercolor and breaking from traditional ink techniques, evokes the travel sketchbooks of Shi Tao. Chen Ding-shan was a well-known scholar and business magnate from Shanghai, adept in painting and calligraphy and skilled in poetry and writing. He relocated to Taiwan in 1948.

Accession number:20220057