Who painted Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei?

Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei was painted by Zha Shibiao in 1684.

Where can I see Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei?

Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei?

Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei

Zha Shibiao , 1684

Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Zha Shibiao. It dates from 1684 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1955.37.8
Credit line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Severance A. Millikin

About this work

Overview

Landscape Album in Various Styles: Landscape after Mi Fei is a painting by Zha Shibiao, created at the age of 68. This album comprises multiple seasonal landscapes, each rendered in distinct styles, capturing quintessential scenes of Jiangnan (the Yangzi delta region).

Subject & Meaning

The album's subjects reflect everyday life amidst Jiangnan's natural beauty. Scenes include a herdboy with buffalo, a scholar on a donkey, and leisure activities like boating and tea-drinking, emphasizing harmony between human presence and landscape.

Technique & Style

Zha Shibiao employed fresh colors and expressive wet brushstrokes. The varied styles within the album pay homage to different traditions, notably referencing Mi Fei, a renowned painter known for ethereal, dreamlike landscapes.

History & Provenance

Painted late in the artist's life, this work demonstrates Zha Shibiao's sustained creativity into old age. Originally from Anhui, his later relocation to Yangzhou may have influenced the Jiangnan settings. The piece is now part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection.

Context

The work reflects the cultural and geographical context of 18th-century Jiangnan, a region celebrated for its beauty and literary inspiration. Zha Shibiao's migration to Yangzhou, a hub for Anhui artists, situates the piece within a broader pattern of artistic relocation and exchange.

Legacy

While the album's broader impact on Chinese painting traditions is not extensively documented in provided sources, it stands as a testament to the artist's enduring skill and the appeal of Jiangnan landscapes in Chinese art.