The Illustration of Goddess of the River Luo (partial)

 Illustration of Goddess of the River Luo captures a poetic scene. The poet gazes at the goddess standing on the waves, and a series of romantic storylines unfold. The final scene portrays the poet departing in a carriage with a melancholic mood, symbolizing his longing as his spirit remains.

This painting signifies two important advancements in Chinese art. Firstly, it showcases the maturity of continuous narrative painting, with recurring characters throughout. Secondly, it demonstrates the development of landscape painting, where nature serves as a backdrop to the narrative. It establishes a new artistic tradition, expressing the poet's yearning for romantic love.

The Illustration of Goddess of the River Luo introduces fresh portrayals of female characters, paving the way for Tang Dynasty artists and fostering artistic exchange between the northern and southern regions.

Jin Dynasty (266-420). Gu Kaizhi (so said) Silk scroll, colored. The left copy: 26cm*464cm, collection of the Liaoning Provincial Museum. The right copy: 27.1cm*572.8cm, collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.