Album Leaf from Figures in River Landscapes

This is the ninth 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.

In this scene, a man stands on a shore at the bottom of a tall cliff, with his hands folded behind his back, observing the surrounding trees and distant blue mountains. The mountains, the trees shedding leaves and the colours in the painting reveal that the fall season is approaching.