Woodcutter(detail)

Wu Wei, Ming Dynasty
Ink and color on paper
101*34cm

Wu Wei excelled at characters and landscapes. In his early years, he followed the Academy painting style of the Southern Song and his paintings were rigorous, elegant and forceful. However, in his later years, he painted freely and without restraint, leaving a huge impact on paintings in middle Ming, pioneering the "School of Jiang Xia". This work shows a woodcutter carrying wood down the mountain. While he is taking a rest, a cold wind suddenly blows. The woodcutter cannot help clenching his chest with both hands and feeling very distressed. The artist paints the face of the woodcutter in great detail - his tilted eyes seem to be bitter and lamenting - a very touching rendition. The painter then gives a free hand to the portrayal of clothing; the strokes are bold and vivid. The whole picture is enveloped in an aura of light sadness.