Qian Du (1763-1844), Snow Landscape

The snow-capped peaks of this landscape overlook a shelter surrounded by tall pines where a solitary figure sits. The composition takes very original advantage of its long and narrow format: the compact massif formed by the pines is taken up in height by the silhouette of the mountain ranges.

The calligraphic poem at the top right is very simple: it evokes the heat of the stove, the smell of cooked vegetables and the crash of the wind in the branches. By mentioning these elements which escape the realm of the visual, the poem prolongs the painting.

Qian Du, originally from the Hangzhou region in Zhejiang, belonged to a wealthy family where the art of painting was cultivated. Beyond the family collection, travels have nurtured the work of Qian Du, which illustrates the enduring vitality of cultural life and artistic creation in south-central China, on the eve of the unrest of the Chinese insurrection. Taiping.

Cartel:

Qian Du (1763-1844)
Snow landscape, dated 1818
Ink on paper
H.132cm x W.26,2cm
CM 2008-4

Gift of the Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum, 2008

Photo credit :

Qian Du (1763-1844). " Winter landscape ". Retail. Ink on paper. Paris, Cernuschi Museum.

Qian Du (1763-1844). “Winter landscape” (detail). Ink on paper, 1818. Paris, Musée Cernuschi.

Qian Du (1763-1844). " Winter landscape ". Ink on paper, 1818. Paris, Musée Cernuschi.