Untitled 1644 - 1705

This is an ink on paper painting of deer in a landscape, by Bada Shanren, a Han Chinese painter who lived during the early Qing dynasty. Shanren was a member of the Ming dynasty royal family, and became a Chan Buddhist monk after the fall of the Ming dynasty in 1644 as a means of expressing his grief and resistance to the new Qing rulers. The painting is deceptively simple. Shanren uses an expressive, calligraphic brushstroke to depict the deer and the landscape. The deer, symbols of longevity and prosperity, appear serene, yet the stark, barren landscape and the artist's own history suggest a deeper sense of loss and displacement. The painting reflects the artist’s complex identity as both a member of the fallen Ming dynasty and a Buddhist monk. Shanren's art gave him a way to express complex emotions during a time of great upheaval, capturing personal and political tensions.