Album Leaf from Figures in River Landscapes

This is the second leaf from the Figures in River Landscape album by Wang Gai (1677-1705), which is painted with ink and colour on paper. Each leaf contains a landscape, which was painted in situ by Wang Gai. Repeating themes throughout the album include figures immersed in the natural environment, which reflects the literati’s yearning and nostalgia.

This scene contains a scene of solitude within an all-encompassing landscape, in which a scholar and his attendant can be seen conversing in a cottage on the bank of a river. The two cottages, which are on stilts, are surrounded by the river, the mountains and a few pine trees. The foliage in the foreground is much darker and sharper than the landscape in the distance, which creates distance and also a misty dream-like atmosphere. The mountains in the far distance are painted with a wash of light blue paint, which adds to the peaceful scene.