@@Ma Lin, from a family of painters, was a later
Southern Sung court artist who specialized in landscapes,
birds-and-flowers, and figures--being just as accomplished
as his father, Ma Yuan.
@@Deep in the mountains beside a flowing stream,
a lofty gentleman sits on the trunk of a large pine as he
stares and listens with intent to the wind blowing through
the pine needles and vines. The twisting old pines and large
rocks rendered in axe-cut strokes reveal his training in
the family tradition. The title written by Emperor Li-tsung
is in the upper right, and in the lower left is Ma Lin's
signature. In the Northern Sung, figures appeared as insignificant
elements in landscape painting, while in the Southern Sung
(as shown in this work), the focus on the relationship between
man and nature became even more important.
