Chao Er Tai

1979

泛黃/斑點/木框

POST WINGS

This work was completed during Mr. Zhao Erdai's robust sixty-second year, at the peak of his life and creative energy. The scene takes place in a mountain hollow, where a house partially reveals itself amidst the embrace of high cliffs. The vibrant red plants flourish without being overwhelming, and the green roof rests peacefully beneath, creating an exceptionally rare contrast of bright colors within the composition.

In Zhao Erdai's lifetime of ink wash creations, such vivid and harmonious color arrangements are uncommon. The reds and greens here are not merely decorative, but reflect an inner state—symbolizing the happiness and fullness that naturally emerges in a moment of stable life, mature creativity, and a harmonious mindset. The colors do not overshadow the essence of the ink wash; instead, they are embedded within the ink structure with restraint, allowing the artwork to retain its consistent scholarly moderation.

In terms of composition, the towering cliffs occupy the main space of the painting, with strokes vertically and horizontally intertwining to create a solid structural pressure; the house and clusters of red plants are positioned in the low part of the mountain hollow, as if gently enveloped by time and nature. This arrangement of “the high positioned above, the settled below” responds to the spiritual structure of traditional landscape painting while also suggesting that the artist, in this flourishing stage of life, has achieved a balance between external accomplishments and internal tranquility.

The language of brush and ink continues the characteristics of Zhao Erdai's simple ink wash style, using broken strokes and a mix of dry and wet techniques to express weight and the passage of time in the rocks; the plant clusters form the core of vitality through the method of dotting and coloring. The overall composition does not seek grand narrative; rather, it crystallizes a mature and stable state of life within a limited space.

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