Autumn landscape in the style of Lan Ying

Secluded in nature, a scholar sits alone by a placid mountain lake. Nearby, tall spindly trees draw the eye up to meet distant peaks, emphasizing the grandeur of the setting. An expressive mix of dry,scratchy strokes, dark accents, and pale ink washes define rugged rock surfaces and sparse, reddish leaves and tree trunks tinged with pale blue suggest the chill temperatures of late fall. At right, a waterfall races down a cliff, filling the air with sound.

Best known for his flower-and-bird subjects, Yamamoto Baiitsu was also a skillful painter of Chinese-style ink landscapes. Baiitsu belonged to the literati movement, whose members emulated the lifestyles and ink-painting modes of Chinese scholar-painters. He was fortunate in having access to original Chinese painting models at the home of his mentor, a Nagoya businessman and collector. This is one of several works by Baiitsu based on the style of the late Ming-dynasty landscape painter Lan Ying (1585-1660).