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Album of Seasonal Landscapes, Leaf E (previous leaf 3) by Xiao Yuncong

Xiao Yuncong · 1668-01-01

This serene landscape, "Album of Seasonal Landscapes, Leaf E," by Xiao Yuncong, painted in 1668 and now at The Cleveland Museum of Art, holds a quiet story of political defiance.

Xiao Yuncong was a loyalist to China's Ming Dynasty, which fell to the Qing in 1644. Rather than serve the new rulers, he retreated to his home province and dedicated himself to painting.

His landscapes, like this one, depicting an unchanging, harmonious natural world, became a subtle act of protest against the new regime. Look at the small figures and village houses, blending seamlessly with the grand cliffs and trees, suggesting a peaceful existence undisturbed by political upheaval.

It's a powerful reminder of how art can reflect personal conviction, even in times of profound change.

Details

It was just 24 years after the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
It was just 24 years after the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
The painter, Xiao Yuncong, was a loyalist to the fallen Ming.
The painter, Xiao Yuncong, was a loyalist to the fallen Ming.
Instead, he retreated to his home province, painting landscapes.
Instead, he retreated to his home province, painting landscapes.
His art became a quiet act of defiance.
His art became a quiet act of defiance.
Transcript

This tranquil scene was painted in 1668. It was just 24 years after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. The painter, Xiao Yuncong, was a loyalist to the fallen Ming. He refused to serve the new Qing rulers. Instead, he retreated to his home province, painting landscapes. His art became a quiet act of defiance. A serene, unchanging natural world, beyond human strife.