Wood and Rock

Su Shi is one of the most renowned figures in Chinese cuIture. Also known as Su Dongpo, Su Shi was a Chinese poet, calligrapher, schoIar, painter, and as well as an influential politician during the Northern Song dynasty, which lasted from 960 to 1127 CE. Being one of two surviving paintings by Su, Wood and Rock is a really rare and treasured work by the artist. In the painting, Su Shi used dry brushstrokes to evoke a sense of grittiness for the rock, swirling, forming the texture of the rock through layering. Dry brushstrokes are also used to draw the tree trunk as it curls away from the rock, imitating the rough texture of desiccated tree bark. In contrast, the thinner tips of the tree branches, and the greenery peeking from behind the rock, are drawn with wetter brushstrokes. This adds a sense of vitality to the painting within a scene that would otherwise be quite barren. Part of an extended scroll, the painting is complemented by calligraphy work written by Mi Fu, a contemporary of Su Shi who is a renowned painter and calligrapher. Wood and Rock is one of the most expensive Chinese artworks sold in Asia when it was auctioned off at Christie’s in 2018 to a private collection.