Ming Dynasty, Lai'an, Fish, 19.4×31
This Ming dynasty album leaf captures a serene underwater moment with a large, whiskered catfish swimming diagonally across the frame. Painted with subtle ink washes on aged silk, the fish appears to glide effortlessly past two smaller companions and a patch of faint aquatic grass. The artist uses the empty brown space to suggest the murky river water—a classic 'leave white' technique that lets the viewer's imagination fill in the river. You can even see the fine, grid-like weave of the silk canvas, adding a tactile texture to this peaceful, centuries-old snapshot of nature.
- Technique
- Ink on silk
- Material
- Silk
- Dimensions
- 19.4 x 31 cm