Water buffalo and crow

The head of the cow in the painting resembles the character “牛” (“ox”) in the seal carving by Ting Yin-yung. Combining calligraphy and painting all in one, the piece is marked with childlike and lovely brushstrokes. The outline of the cattle’s body is painted in one go with dry ink, while the inscription is made up of strings of repeated characters for an enhanced overall effect. The mood conveyed brings to mind a line from the poem Village Life by Zhang Shunmin in the Song dynasty, “Dusk sees the cow bringing home no one on its back, only returning jackdaws lined up in pairs.” Both works served to communicate the artists’ sentiments about soulmates.