last hike 1707

This landscape, rendered by Shitao in ink, presents us with mountains shrouded in mist, and two figures standing at the edge of a precipice. The mountain—a symbol of the immutable, the eternal—appears across cultures, from the pillars of Olympus in Greek myth to the cosmic mountains of Buddhist cosmology. Here, the mountain, almost dissolving into the mist, is both a geographical feature and a symbol of transcendence. This act of contemplation, looking out at the vista, speaks to the Taoist and Buddhist ideal of seeking harmony with the cosmos through observation and meditation. The two figures recall similar pairs in earlier Chinese paintings, and this motif of figures in contemplation is a powerful force that engages viewers on a subconscious level, evoking our own yearning for understanding and peace. It's a cyclical progression, reappearing and evolving, bearing new meanings across historical contexts.