6. A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains – Wang Ximeng
Not only did officials and scholars revel in listening to music but they also found pleasure in depicting nature. One such painter was Wang Ximeng (1096–1119). He was a prodigy and Emperor Huizong of Song supposedly taught the artist. Wang Ximeng painted A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains when he was only 17 years old in 1113. He died several years later but left one of the largest and most beautiful paintings in Chinese history. It is nearly twelve meters in length.
The painting is a masterpiece of a “blue-green landscape.” Azurite blue and malachite green dominate, and the artist also uses touches of pale brown. Wang Ximeng employs multiple perspectives to present a landscape. He shows us all the richness of the scenery with its green hills, temples, cottages, and bridges. The image is stunning in its sweeping scale, vivid colors, and minute details. If you zoom in, you can even see winding paths leading to secluded spots.
With meticulous brushwork and superb technique, the artist expresses deep admiration for the grandeur of nature. In his painting, mountain formations rise and fall between a cloudless sky. Thus, Wang Ximeng opened up a new world, a landscape you will never be tired of exploring.
