Landscape in the Splashed-ink Style 17th-18th century

Kano Tsunenobu created this landscape with ink on paper, capturing a scene that transcends mere physical representation. The mountains, rendered in broad, wet strokes, evoke the ancient Chinese concept of Shan Shui, where landscapes embody cosmic harmony and spiritual resonance. Mountains have long been symbols of the immutable, the divine, often seen as a meeting point between heaven and earth. Consider, for instance, the role of mountains in religious traditions across the globe, from Mount Olympus to Mount Sinai. We see echoes of this reverence here. But look closer; Tsunenobu departs from the earlier styles. The splashed-ink technique transforms these symbols. There's an emotional intensity, almost a catharsis, in the way the ink is applied. This technique finds resonances in later works, like those of the abstract expressionists in America, who sought to convey raw emotion through gestural abstraction. How curious that the human psyche across centuries and cultures seeks solace and expression through the same archetypal forms.