[Sitting and Watching the Clouds]
My Retreat at Mount Zhongnan by Wang Wei Tang
In the middle of my journey through life, I finally found my way;
now my life, my home is at the foot of Mount Zhongnan.
Blessed with the beauty of solitude,
and carefree amidst the wondrous vistas.
I walk to the water’s edge,
then sit and watch the clouds above.
And one day I meet an old woodcutter;
we talk and laugh, not noticing the passing of time.
The staffages of this special exhibition embody the image of "walking to the water’s edge, sitting and watching the clouds above" as described in Wang Wei’s poem "My Retreat at Mount Zhongnan." The staffages either sit under the moonlight, beside the mountain stream, or at the beach, leaving the viewers wondering whether they are meditating or "simply enjoying all the beauty."
Exhibition Theme:
About the Staffage:
I. Meaning
In olden times, no matter in China, Egypt, or Greece, art was centered around "people." It was common that in the paintings of olden times "people would be depicted larger than the landscape, and rivers were out of proportion."
In the landscape paintings of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the proportion of figures in the painting space were more realistic, meanwhile as new Confucianism emphasized nature and rationality, the landscape paintings of the Song Dynasty underwent unprecedented improvement. Staffage refers to the figure blended into a landscape painting.
Staffages complete the overall layout, enriching the picture, and reflect the painter’s life and philosophy. In the Qing Dynasty, Wang Gai’s Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden (Jieziyuan Huapu) suggests: "The staffage in a landscape painting can neither be too artificial nor too passive." Accordingly, the staffage influences the mood and meaning of the overall painting.
II. Explanation of Erdai’s Staffage and Landscape
Staffages appear in many of the landscape paintings collected in the Museum. Most of them are in red while others are in yellow and white. According to the photos and clothing collected by the Museum, the staffage in the paintings may in fact be Zhao Tong-he. The symbolism of these figures are described
follow:
I. Self-Portrait
Some painters would include themselves in their works to show their "involvement." In the works at this Special Exhibition, the images of the staffage appear to be similar, and thus are thought to be a representation of the painter.
II. The Colors of the Staffage
The staffages are dressed in red, yellow, or white, or as a black silhouette (red clothing is exhibited). The colors of the clothing emphasize the existence of the figures in the landscape.
III. Landscape Theme
The landscapes depicted in the paintings displayed in the Special Exhibition include forests, trees, waterfalls, cliffs, mountains, riverbanks, and the seaside, and demonstrate the painter’s passion for nature. Wang Wei’s "My Retreat at Mount Zhongnan" was written when he was in retreat in Wangchuan. In his middle age, Wang Wei started to become interested in Buddhism, but he did not retreat himself until he was older. Zhao Tong-he’s life coincides with Wang Wei’s experience.
The description of the poetry lines "I walk to the water’s edge/then sit and watch the clouds above/And one day I meet an old woodcutter/ we talk and laugh, not noticing the passing of time" correspond to the images depicted in the over 30 works displayed in this Special Exhibition. Perhaps it is just what the painter implies in these paintings.
