Schildering

Ship approaching the waterfront. Gao Qipei (1660 - 1734). China c. 1700. Ink and colours on paper. The finger painter Gao Qipei was an experimental artist. 'The hand should be allowed to paint as it wishes, ' he wrote. He was fascinated by the unpredictability of a line drawn with a finger or nail. In the centre of this album page is a bird's-eye view of a boat. The hills in the foreground, however, are shown from a low perspective. A combination of various vantage points is a feature of Gao Qipei's work. The inscription, right: 'Little boat sails along mountains piled up a thousandfold' - this line by the old poet has not disappointed me. Qipei.