Clouds and Waves at the Wu Gorge
1557
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
1557
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Clouds and Waves at the Wu Gorge is a 1557 unspecified by Xie Shichen, a Ming Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see steep green cliffs rising from a churning river, a tiny boat fighting the waves below. Xie Shichen painted this after sailing the Yangzi River himself. The high viewpoint makes the gorge feel endless, as if you’re looking down from the clouds. His quick, bold brushstrokes give the water its wild energy. To see how other Ming artists painted rivers, look up *china, ming dynasty (1368–1644)*.
This dramatic landscape was probably painted after Xie Shichen returned from a journey in 1547 that took him through various provinces of China, including Sichuan Province in southwest China and sailing the Yangzi River. The composition from a high vantage point offers a view deep into the Wu Gorge where rolling waves put a ship in peril. The scale and composition of this landscape, which was inspired by the majestic mountain scenery in Sichuan Province, as well as Xie’s vigorous brushwork, are exceptional.
This large painting was likely created for a wealthy or powerful family's grand hall to impress their visitors.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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