Clearing Autumn Mists in the Chu Mountains
1604
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1604
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Clearing Autumn Mists in the Chu Mountains is a 1604 unspecified by Lan Ying, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows misty mountains with soft, rounded shapes. The trees in the front look like dark smudges against the light. Clouds wrap around the hills, making them feel light and floating. Lan Ying copied old masters to learn their tricks. He used Mi Fu’s round brush dots to shape the clouds and trees. It’s like he practiced their moves before making his own version. Want to see more like this? Look up artist Lan Ying (Chinese, 1585–after 1664).
In his inscription Lan Yin states that he uses Mi Fu’s methods to depict this landscape. The ovoid "Mi" dots—Mi Fu’s brush idioms—are applied to give shape to the cloud-enveloped mountains and foreground tree grove for self expression. Engaging in the process of fang (imitation), he acquired the methods of various schools and masters to expand his technical range for creative transformations. Lan Yin developed his unique style and inspired major artists like Liu Du and Chen Hongshou.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Lan Ying grew up in the southeastern city of Hangzhou, where misty mountains roll into the sea.
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