Early Spring Landscape with Figures Walking on a Mountain Path to Visit a Scholar in a Lakeside Pavilion c. 17th century

Editor: This is "Early Spring Landscape with Figures Walking on a Mountain Path to Visit a Scholar in a Lakeside Pavilion," possibly by Yi Ching. I’m really drawn to the texture of the silk; it feels so integral to the image. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The silk support is crucial. Consider the labor involved in its production – the cultivation of silkworms, the weaving process. Its absorbency dictates the ink's behavior. The artist harnesses these inherent qualities, blurring the lines between 'high' art and the material reality. What does this layering of process say about the commodification of nature? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't considered how the materiality speaks to the social context. Curator: Exactly. It makes one wonder, what else is embedded in these materials?