Xu Fang
Chinese (1622-1694)

Suzhou Landscape, 1675
Ink on paper

Bowdoin 1942.004

Chinese painting invites the viewer to create stories and interact with its images. Landscape painters use different forms of perspective and different elements of a landscape to draw a viewer into the scene. In the case of Suzhou landscape, the intimate scroll format contributes to the accessibility of the image, much like the small format of the miniature landscapes invites the viewer to take a closer look at the artists’ creations. Scrolls are read from right to left and are usually unrolled slowly so they can be viewed in segments. As you view this scroll think about how the artist has invited you to become part of the landscape. While the execution of this scene is generic, the location it represents is unique. The simple lines, soft washes of ink and various types of foliage represent a popular destination found in southern China. The journey of the water at the beginning of the scroll into the hills towards the end creates a story about individual interactions with the scroll and therefore with the landscape. By creating tales about the images we see, we develop relationships with art. The intimate format of the scroll deepens this relationship and invites the viewer to create multiple tales about landscape.

Katie-Elyse Turner, Colby ‘09