Scroll of Misty Mountains at Autumn Dawn - Frontispiece
Before revealing the majestic landscapes of the Northern Song dynasty, a handscroll begins with the yinshou, or frontispiece, seen here as a vast expanse of aged beige paper flanked by decorative silk borders. Attributed to the master Fan Kuan, this section serves as the introduction for the Mist and Autumn Dawn scroll, traditionally bearing a title inscription to set the mood. Fan Kuan was a recluse who famously retreated into the mountains to paint nature directly, so this blank space acts as a moment of quiet anticipation—a deep breath before unrolling the rest of the scroll to enter his world of towering peaks and misty valleys.
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