Streams and Mountains Without End
I did some Met mezzanine stuff, but now the second floor . . .
China: The landscape in length: “The Mountains in Fog” is a scroll (1’ high and over 20’ long) and is “time over size”, “like time over strength” in “ruin lust” (see Week Two). The involvement of the viewer - walking the path - is a “different” form of contemplation.
The landscape in sheer size: “The Palace of Nine Perfections” [Yuan Jiang, Qing dynasty, 1691] is over 6’ high and 18’ long. It dominates the room; the impact is immediate.
On the Importance of Being: Flowers and Birds
Exaltations of Nature.
Vase with flowering plants and birds, China, late 17th-early 18th century, gallery 200.
Mankind . . . we regard as only one of Nature’s varied manifestations, and less worthy of appearing in the annals of Art than any other element: the fragile beauty of a flower or the graceful motions of a bird in flight rouses in our hearts, an emotion as poignant as any human loveliness or pain. - The Chinese Eye, Chiang Yee, 1935.
Moon Vase
Moon-shaped bottle, China, 18th century, “slippery stone”, gallery 200.
“Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do”. - Montaigne
The Celebration of Error
Kenzan-style Dish with Bamboo Leaves, Japan, 17th–18th century (not on view) kintsugi (kintsukuroi) gold lacquer repair.
Artist Uses Kintsugi to Mend Cracked Streets with Gold. https://mymodernmet.com/sidewalk-kintsukuroi-kintsugi-art/
Window onto Bamboo on a Rainy Day
“There are four principal ways of painting bamboo. In fair-weather, the leaves are spread out joyously; in rainy-weather, the leaves hang down despondently, in windy-weather, the leaves cross each other confusedly, and in the dew of early morning the leaves all point up vigorously.” - Henry P. Bowie, On the Laws of Japanese Painting, 1911.
Family apocrypha claims that at 2 I was bilingual in English and Japanese. Our gardener Mr. Yamamoto spoke no English, but our talks gave me an appreciation of bamboo, gardens, and the Japanese grid.
I'm really enjoying this series! I'm planning a visit to NYC soon (from Florida but not in time to miss Dorian unfortunately) and these posts will certainly enhance my visit to the museum. Thank you!
Posted by: Marissa Despain | September 01, 2019 at 06:18 PM