Ink Painting

1984

Length:241.8 x Width:98.1 (cm)

Accession Number：20170300112

Tsai Yu (b. 1947, Nantou), also known by the sobriquets Yu-San and Le-Shan, graduated from Chiayi Normal College (now National Chiayi University), National Taiwan Academy of Arts (now National Taiwan University of Arts), Chinese Culture University, and the Graduate School of Art at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. During his studies, he trained under several renowned masters, including Lu Fo-Ting (1911-2005), Su Feng-Nan (1943-), Chiang Chao-Shen (1925-1996), and Ou Hao-Nien (1935-2024), absorbing a wide range of influences. He has received numerous awards, including honors from the Central Taiwan Art Exhibition, Taiwan Provincial Art Exhibition, National Art Exhibition, and the 13th Nantou County Fine Arts Contribution Award. Tsai has held solo exhibitions both in Taiwan and abroad, participated in many group shows by invitation, and published collections of his works. He has taught at Chinese Culture University, National Hsinchu Teachers College (now National Tsing Hua University), and National Taiwan University of Arts. After retiring in 2012, he settled in Puli, Nantou, dedicating himself fully to painting and artistic activities.
Rooted in the philosophy of painting from life, Tsai’s early works in his signature “brilliant color” style combined the vibrancy of color with the traditions of ink painting, bringing new dimensions to the medium. In recent years, his focus has shifted toward the landscapes of Taiwan’s rural scenery, conveying a sense of rustic elegance and poetic charm. Mists and Clouds over Tower Mountain was inspired by sketches made during a 1983 trip to Alishan in Chiayi, and completed the following year. The composition is rendered from an elevated viewpoint, revealing an expansive sea of clouds drifting among distant peaks. Houses and trees appear faintly beneath the swirling mist. Tsai integrates ink with touches of red and green, applying wet brushstrokes to create an atmosphere thick with moisture, while in the foreground, tree trunks and branches are depicted with dry brushwork. Variations in brush technique evoke the depth and grandeur of nature, imbuing the scene with a profound sense of serenity and vastness.