Returning Home in a Driving Rain 1200 - 1233

Editor: Here we have Xia Gui's "Returning Home in a Driving Rain," painted sometime between 1200 and 1233 using ink and color on silk. It has such a contemplative, almost lonely feel to it. How do you read this piece? Curator: I find it fascinating to consider this work through the lens of its production. Think about the silk itself, likely woven by skilled laborers, and the meticulous grinding of ink. Even the application of tempera – sourced pigments requiring a deep understanding of materials. Editor: That's interesting. I hadn’t considered the silk's own story. So you're saying the materials are more than just, well, materials? Curator: Exactly! This wasn't just about artistic expression. The painting depended on an intricate network of labor and the availability of resources. Consider how the specific qualities of ink and tempera influenced the aesthetic - did the artist embrace or defy these properties in their handling? Editor: I see. So, it speaks to the economy of art, and the skills involved? Curator: Precisely. Also, look at the formal restraints of a round format, like a fan. Were such limitations considered obstacles or opportunities? Were they associated with specific societal status? We might ask about the relationship between this artwork and other media or material productions of the Song Dynasty. Editor: It makes you wonder about all the hands that touched this before it reached the museum! I will never look at the use of "materials" quite the same way. Curator: Indeed, by shifting our focus to the materiality and means of production, we unveil layers of meaning beyond the purely aesthetic experience. We gain a deeper appreciation for its connection to broader social and economic conditions of its time.