Lotus and Dragonfly 1953

Qi Baishi made this delicate painting of a Lotus and Dragonfly, likely with ink and colour on paper. It’s all about movement, you know? The dragonfly seems ready to take flight, balanced on the seedpod like a tiny acrobat. The lines in the background, they’re not just water, they’re a feeling of flow. Baishi's handling of ink, it’s so confident, so light. Look how he captures the transparency of the dragonfly’s wings with just a few strokes. And that seedpod, heavy with potential, anchoring the composition. It’s like he’s saying, life is about this dance between stillness and motion. This reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin, who made painting about the barest essence of feeling. Both artists knew how to pare things down to their most essential form. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about keeping the conversation going.