House and Mountain (A Page from the Jie Zi Yuan) 0-0

This page from the Jie Zi Yuan, or Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, was created in China around the 17th century, using ink on paper, and based on an older work by Li Gonglin. The manual taught aspiring artists how to paint, and this page demonstrates different brushstroke techniques to create landscape elements, like mountains, trees, and buildings. The ink is applied with varying pressure and speed to achieve different textures and tones. Notice how the artist uses light, thin strokes to create a sense of distance, and darker, thicker strokes to define the foreground. The printing of the manual itself was a complex process, involving woodblock carving, inking, and printing. The production of these manuals was a commercial enterprise, catering to the growing demand for art education among the merchant class. By examining the materials and production methods, we can better appreciate the social and cultural context in which this artwork was created, and challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.