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Temple
on a Mountain Ledge
 Kuncan
(1612 - about 1686)
China; Qing period, dated 1661
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
1979.124
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Click for zoomable image
The pulsating energy and naturalistic forms seen here typify Kuncan's
work and distinguish it from the more abstract compositions favored by
his contemporaries. The landscape shows a solitary fisherman enjoying
the quiet atmosphere surrounding a Buddhist temple. Air and light fill
the painting, enhancing both the grandeur of the mountains and the peacefulness
of the scene. The two groups of buildings located in the foreground and
the middle ground of this painting must represent some of the complexes
at the Bao'en monastery, as they are similar to those in paintings known
to depict the site. The poem on the upper right side of the painting can
be understood as both a reference to the artist's early wanderings and
as a metaphor for the Buddhist quest for enlightenment to which he dedicated
his life.
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