{"title":"Xia Gui","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"windswept-lakeshore-xia-gui","title":"Windswept Lakeshore - Xia Gui","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic Southern Song ink wash fan painting by Xia Gui, featuring a minimalist lakeshore scene with trees and a small boat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eThis circular fan painting, attributed to the Southern Song master Xia Gui, exemplifies the aesthetic of the period through its economy of brushwork and atmospheric depth. The composition relies on the 'one-corner' style, where the visual weight is concentrated in a specific area, leaving the remainder of the silk surface to suggest vast, misty expanses of water and air. \n\nIn the foreground, a cluster of trees clings to a rocky promontory, rendered with sharp, angular strokes that contrast with the softer, blurred washes defining the distant mountain peak. A solitary figure stands near the water, while a small boat drifts nearby, providing a sense of scale and human presence within the expansive natural setting. The use of ink wash allows for subtle gradations of tone, creating a sense of humidity and quietude. \n\nXia Gui was a member of the Imperial Painting Academy in Hangzhou. His work is known for its technical precision and its ability to capture the essence of a scene through minimal detail. The circular format, typical of fan paintings from this era, focuses the viewer's attention on the interplay between the solid forms of the rocks and trees and the void of the lake. This piece demonstrates the mastery of ink manipulation, where the artist balances dark, saturated marks with lighter, diluted applications to suggest the shifting light of a windswept day. The work remains a primary example of the Southern Song approach to nature, where the physical world is treated as a vehicle for internal reflection and poetic expression.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Xia Gui","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921210351951,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222476111,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222508879,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Windswept-Lakeshore_Poster_CompositorV1_1781486050888.jpg?v=1781490671"},{"product_id":"mountain-market-clearing-mist-xia-gui","title":"Mountain Market, Clearing Mist - Xia Gui","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic Southern Song Dynasty ink wash painting by Xia Gui, featuring a mountain settlement emerging from atmospheric mist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eXia Gui was a master of the Southern Song period, active in the imperial court at Hangzhou. This work exemplifies the 'one-corner' composition style, where the artist concentrates visual weight in a specific area of the frame, leaving the remainder of the silk surface to suggest vast, atmospheric space. The technique relies on the economy of brushwork, using varied ink tones to define the craggy rock formations and the delicate foliage of the trees.\n\nThe scene depicts a small settlement nestled at the base of towering peaks. The mist, rendered through subtle washes of diluted ink, acts as a spatial device to separate the foreground from the distant, looming mountains. This creates a sense of depth without the need for rigid linear perspective. The brushstrokes are sharp and angular, particularly in the depiction of the rocks, which contrasts with the softer, blurred edges of the clouds. \n\nIn traditional Chinese painting, such works were intended for quiet contemplation. The viewer is invited to wander through the scene, following the path from the foreground structures into the obscured heights. The monochromatic palette focuses the attention on the interplay between solid form and empty space, a core principle of the period. This print captures the tonal nuances of the original ink on silk, preserving the balance between the dark, defined foreground and the ethereal, light-filled background. It is a representative example of the literati aesthetic, where the artist sought to capture the spirit of the natural world rather than a literal transcription of a specific location.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Xia Gui","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921221198159,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222672719,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222705487,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Mountain-Market-Clearing-Mist_Poster_CompositorV1_1781486049455.jpg?v=1781490737"},{"product_id":"swinging-gibbon-xia-gui","title":"Swinging Gibbon - Xia Gui","description":"\u003cp\u003eA delicate ink wash painting by Southern Song master Xia Gui, depicting a gibbon suspended from a branch in a minimalist, atmospheric composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eThis circular fan painting, attributed to the Southern Song master Xia Gui, captures a moment of quiet observation within the natural world. The composition is defined by the economy of ink, a hallmark of the period, where negative space is as important as the brushwork itself. A gibbon hangs from a slender branch, its form rendered with fluid, calligraphic strokes that suggest both weight and agility. The animal occupies the left side of the frame, balanced by the textured trunk of a tree on the right.\n\nXia Gui was active during the Southern Song period, a time when painters moved away from the monumental scale of earlier eras to focus on intimate, atmospheric scenes. The use of ink wash allows for subtle gradations of tone, creating a sense of depth despite the limited palette. The background remains largely empty, suggesting a misty or expansive environment that invites the viewer to complete the scene through their own imagination. The gibbon, a subject often associated with Buddhist themes of playfulness and spiritual detachment, is depicted with a naturalistic posture that avoids excessive detail, favouring instead the capture of movement and character.\n\nThis work is presented as a fine art print, preserving the delicate tonal shifts of the original silk surface. The composition is contained within a circular format, typical of fan paintings from this era, which were often mounted as album leaves. The restraint shown in the brushwork reflects the aesthetic values of the Southern Song court, where clarity and suggestion were preferred over literal representation. This piece offers a window into the technical mastery of Chinese ink painting, where the interaction between brush, ink, and silk creates a balance between form and void.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Xia Gui","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921221361999,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222771023,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222803791,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222836559,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222869327,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Swinging-Gibbon_Poster_CompositorV1_1781486105827.jpg?v=1781490761"},{"product_id":"returning-home-in-a-driving-rain-xia-gui","title":"Returning Home in a Driving Rain - Xia Gui","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic Southern Song ink wash painting by Xia Gui, depicting figures in a rain-swept scene with the artist's signature atmospheric restraint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eXia Gui, a master of the Southern Song period, produced this circular fan painting, which captures a moment of atmospheric transition. The composition employs the characteristic 'one-corner' style, where the visual weight is concentrated in a specific area, leaving the remainder of the silk surface to suggest vast, misty space. This technique creates a sense of openness and quietude, typical of the period's aesthetic preferences.\n\nThe scene depicts a small group of figures navigating a path near a cluster of trees and humble dwellings. The brushwork is economical, using varied ink tones to suggest the texture of foliage and the solidity of the rocky terrain. The driving rain is implied through subtle washes and the directional tilt of the trees, rather than explicit line work. This restraint allows the viewer to project their own interpretation onto the scene, a hallmark of the literati tradition.\n\nAs a fan painting, the work was intended for intimate viewing. The circular format dictates the arrangement of elements, with the diagonal slope of the bank guiding the eye towards the figures. The presence of imperial seals indicates its status within the royal collection, reflecting the high regard in which Xia Gui was held during his lifetime. The muted palette, dominated by sepia and ink tones, reinforces the sombre, damp mood of the weather. This piece remains a primary example of the Southern Song approach to nature, where the focus is on the emotional resonance of the environment rather than a literal transcription of the physical world. The balance between the detailed foreground and the empty, atmospheric background demonstrates the artist's mastery of space and ink control.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Xia Gui","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921221394767,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222902095,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":57921222934863,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Returning-Home-in-a-Driving-Rain_Poster_CompositorV1_1781486168701.jpg?v=1781490783"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/collections\/xia-gui.oembed","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}