Artwork

Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 10

Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 10, by Fan Qi, unspecified, 1654
Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 10, by Fan Qi, unspecified, 1654

Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 10 is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Fan Qi. It dates from 1654 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

The poem on the page—written by someone else—talks about cold and solitude, hinting at feelings the painting doesn’t spell out.

You see a single bamboo stalk bent under snow, a few egrets standing in icy water, and bare branches in the distance.

Fan Qi painted this in the early Qing dynasty, when many artists used nature to show quiet resistance. The poem on the page—written by someone else—talks about cold and solitude, hinting at feelings the painting doesn’t spell out.

If you like this, look up *china, qing dynasty (1644-1911)* to see more works from this time.

Overview

Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 10 is a painting from the early Qing dynasty, created by Fan Qi. The work features a serene winter scene with a lone bamboo stalk bent under snow, egrets in icy water, and distant bare branches.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts a secluded winter landscape: a single snow-laden bamboo, egrets standing in frozen water, and remote bare branches. While the visual elements convey solitude, the accompanying poem (by an unknown author) delves deeper into themes of cold and isolation, suggesting unspoken emotions.

Technique & Style

Fan Qi's technique in this piece is characterized by delicate brushwork, evident in the rendering of snow-covered bamboo, the subtle presence of egrets, and the suggestion of depth through distant branches. The style aligns with the Qing dynasty's aesthetic, where nature was often depicted with precision and simplicity.

History & Provenance

Created during the early Qing dynasty, this painting reflects a period when artists used natural imagery as a form of quiet resistance. The piece is part of a larger album, 'Album of Miscellaneous Subjects', with Leaf 10 featuring a colophon by Zhou Yi that poetically describes the scene.

Context

The early Qing dynasty saw many artists expressing subtle dissent through natural themes. Fan Qi's work, with its emphasis on solitude and the poem's hint at deeper emotional states, situates it within this context of veiled commentary.

Legacy

As part of the Qing dynasty's artistic output, 'Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Leaf 10' contributes to the period's legacy of nuanced, politically charged naturalist paintings. For similar works, see the broader collection under 'China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)'.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Fan Qi

Artist

Fan Qi

Chinese, 1616–after 1694

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.