Clouds at Huangshan: Maternal Commemoration and the Gendered Dimension of an Early Qing Landscape Painting

Key Points

• The aim is to explore how Fa Ruozhen's painting commemorates his mother, challenging traditional themes in Qing landscape art.
• Analyzed the significance of the painting 'Rising Peaks and Piling Cliffs' and its context in early Qing art.
• Investigated the theme of maternal commemoration and its rarity in landscape painting of the time.
• Discussed the socio-familial background of artistic practices during the Qing dynasty.
• Identified a unique gendered perspective within a predominantly male-centric art form.
• Demonstrated that maternal figures can serve as subjects of artistic commemoration in Chinese art history.
• Called for greater attention to local contexts in understanding artistic production.

Abstract