Day-Lily from a Flower Album of Ten Leaves 1656

Xiang Shengmo created this painting titled, "Day-Lily from a Flower Album of Ten Leaves," using ink and color on paper. The delicacy of the flower is rendered with fine lines and washes of color, contrasting sharply with the bolder, more abstract rendering of the rock at the base. The flower, positioned towards the upper right, draws our eye with its warm colors and intricate detail. Notice how Shengmo has left much of the paper untouched, creating a sense of openness and inviting contemplation. The calligraphy provides a textual layer that complements the visual elements. The placement of these inscriptions doesn't just fill the empty space, but directs our gaze. Shengmo destabilizes the traditional approach to representation by combining naturalistic elements with abstraction and textual commentary. He asks us to question the relationship between what we see, what we read, and what we understand. Consider how the balance between the detailed flower, the abstract rock, and the calligraphic text, creates a dynamic interplay of form and meaning, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of semiotics and representation.