Scholar-Hermits in the Autumn Mountains

The scholar-official painters, or literati painters, of ancient to early modern China considered professional painting vulgar. Instead, they championed amateur art as an expression of internal truth. They even prized an apparent lack of painterly finesse as proof of their commitment to expressions of subjectivity over “mere craftsmanship.” Amid the scholar-officials of the Ming Dynasty, painter Tang Yin was a rebel. After accusations of cheating, he was banned from taking the all-important civil service exams. Instead, he supported himself as a professional artist. Despite his unorthodox career path, Tang Yin’s Scholar-Hermits in the Autumn Mountains epitomizes the theme of the wandering scholar-poet prized in shan shui painting. The viewer is invited to follow the scholars meandering through misty mountains and rowing across vast rivers. Thus, the viewer too wanders through an imaginative landscape.