Lofty Mount Lu, or The Grandeur of Mount Lu (Lushan Gao) is a landscape painting by Chinese artist Shen Zhou. It was painted in 1467, during the Ming Dynasty. Over two meters in height, Shen painted this painting as a celebration for the 70th year old birthday of Chen Kuan, Shen’s mentor and friend. Being Chen Kuan’s ancestral home region, Mount Lu was chosen as the subject of the painting because Chen Kuan felt connected to the mountain despite living far away.
The artist of the painting, Shen Zhou, is a renowned artist from Suzhou, a major artistic centre in China during his time. He is regarded as the founder of Wu School painting, which emphasises expressiveness and sentimentality in art. Instead of technical precisiveness, focus is turned to the artist’s personal vision.
In this painting, Shen adopts an older texturing method to build up layers and layers of rocks, such that the mountain seems to spring forth from humps upon humps. Trees can be seen scattered across the mountainside, showcasing Shen’s skill in depicting a variety of leaves. Compared to the rough and gritty strokes used for the trees and the rocks, soft brushwork with diluted ink creates a sense of softness for the clouds, through which the peaks scale beyond.
At the bottom of the painting, Chen Kuan is depicted with his back against the mountain, with the mountain rising behind him. Though Chen is small in comparison, his aura seems to match the towering mountain behind him, through which Shen Zhou expresses the admiration and respect he holds towards Chen.
Lofty Mount Lu, to me, honors the relationship between a mentor and student while celebrating the enduring bond of companionship between Chen Kuan and Shen Zhou. The painting serves as a tribute to Chen Kuan, therefore the tall mountains dominating the scenery act as a visual metaphor for his resilience, strength, and wisdom. At first glance, the viewer's attention is drawn to the majestic mountain, however, upon closer observation, one notices the small figure of Chen Kuan at the foot of the mountain with his back facing it. This deliberate composition encourages the viewer to explore the landscape in its entirety before discovering the individual it honours. The contrast between the gritty and rigid trees and rocks as opposed to the softness of the clouds reflects the balance between the warmth and firmness Chen Kuan showed in his character and his teachings. Shen Zhou's choice of painting Mount Lu also evokes a sense of nostalgia and memory. The painting honors his legacy and serves as a testament to the lasting impression he left on his students. The mountains may be physically immense, yet it is Chen Kuan's legacy and character that give the landscape its meaning, making his presence as great as the mountain itself.
