Title: Wondrous Peak at Sunset
Date: 2017
Artist: Wang Mansheng
Medium: Limited edition print
Repository: Chu-Griffiths Asian Art Collection, Shain Library, Conn College, New London
This print is very interesting and visually pleasing. To me, it looks like a cliff type of landscape, and as the title explains, it is around the time of sunset. The vibrant colors and shadows of the rocks made the image stand out at me. The little pieces of orange/yellow at the tip of some of the rocks looks amazing paired with the different shades of blue all around the print. The blue in Asian, along with many other cultures, represents life. It symbolizes spirit and purity, which is why this picture is so calming and means something to the artist. The location of the print is interesting, as it sits towards the middle of the room. This draws a lot of people’s attention and the lighting is very nice and helps it stand out. Mansheng likely is very interested in landscapes and nature, given that there is another similar print on the other side of this one. Personally, I was more interested in this one because the colors stood out with more contrast to me as opposed to the other image. Although this is a print, and I am not sure if it is a painting, the strokes and ridges of the rocks are miraculously depicted. I can see every little detail and crevice, which makes the whole piece very tasteful.
