Corvos no inverno, rolo - frontispício de Qianlong
Emperor Qianlong was the ultimate art fanboy, boldly writing 'Transcending Attainment, Natural Truth' in massive characters to praise the Song Dynasty master Li Cheng's work. This frontispiece sets the stage for the 'Cold Crows' scroll, with a poem on the left describing a bleak winter where 'thousand forests lose their leaves' and hungry crows cry out. Surprisingly, the Emperor writes that seeing this suffering makes him worry about his own people, so he 'cannot bear to unroll the picture.' It’s a fascinating mix of imperial ego—note the red seals everywhere—and genuine empathy.
- Technique
- Ink calligraphy
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